USIN GISHU GOVERNOR IN CHILD NEGLECT CASE

Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago's child neglect case has been pushed to March 6.

The case was deferred to allow Mandago's lawyers to gather documents refuting the claims by a teacher, said Eldoret Law Courts principal magistrate Mary Njagi.

Caroline Maina accused the governor of failing to provide for their son "despite being his legitimate father".

She said during a hearing on Monday that she was married to Mandago from 1988 to 2002 and had the baby on January 18, 2001.

Mandago only paid the boy's primary school fees and left him destitute afterwards, Maina claimed.

She said he transferred him from Chepngochoch Primary school, Sergoit to Mosop Glory Academy in 2012 when he was in class 6.

He neglected the boy in 2014 after he sat for his KCPE exams, she claimed, adding that the boy scored 342 marks.

Maina said she had the boy admitted to a high school in Elgeyo Marakwet without Mandago's help.

She said she earns a salary of Sh8,000 working as an early childhood development teacher at ACK Kapkorach.

The money is not enough for the child's personal and educational needs, she said.

She added that Mandago dishonoured a promise to buy them a house at Elgon View estate in Eldoret, forcing her to let the boy stay with his grandmother.

Maina said she sued Mandago for the sake of her son's education, noting that he is capable of providing for him.

She said she is sure the child is his, but the governor denied the claims.

Last week, Njagi ordered Mandago to pay for the boy's food, shelter, clothing, medical cover and education pending the hearing and determination of the case certified as urgent.