Bitok under fire as criticism mounts over his leadership and political activities

Tourism Principal Secretary Julius Bitok is finding himself in the middle of a storm as criticism over his leadership grows. 

From accusations of engaging in politics while schools grapple with unrest, to criticism from governors, MPs and civil society groups, the PS is facing the toughest scrutiny of his tenure. 

Bitok who was moved from the Education docket last week has been facing pressure over school safety, student unrest and the management of the education sector.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii is among the latest leaders to accuse Bitok of neglecting his responsibilities at a time when the education sector is facing serious challenges.

The governor said the PS has been spending more time traversing the country and engaging in political activities than addressing issues affecting schools.

"The President should fire him because instead of standing with the government and families affected by school fire tragedies, he is moving around focusing on campaigns for his gubernatorial seat in Uasin Gishu," Bii said.

He also faulted the PS over remarks suggesting that teachers and school administrators should negotiate with learners who are reluctant to sit examinations, saying such an approach has never been part of Kenya's education system.

The criticism comes against the backdrop of the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil that claimed the lives of 16 learners.

Like many senior government officials, Bitok visited the school following the tragedy. However, his subsequent trip to Baringo sparked debate after reports emerged that he participated in political events while the country was still mourning the loss of the students.

As Parliament observed a moment of silence for the victims, Bitok was in Baringo alongside local leaders, including Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap, Mosop MP Julius Ruto and Kuresoi North MP Alfred Mutai.

Earlier that day, MPs had paused proceedings to honour the learners who perished in the fire.

Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo informed the House of the tragedy and requested members to observe a moment of silence in honour of the victims.

Speaker Moses Wetang'ula agreed, describing the incident as heartbreaking and offering condolences to the affected families.

Meanwhile, in Baringo, Bitok joined leaders on a visit to Loruk Primary School, which had been affected by rising water levels. During public engagements, he urged residents to support President William Ruto's re-election and also campaigned for Makilap's re-election.

His critics argue that the optics were unfortunate, coming at a time when the nation was mourning and questions about school safety were dominating public discourse.

Bitok has also come under fire for comments he made on student unrest.

As cases of school strikes and tension in learning institutions continue to be reported, the PS has advocated dialogue rather than confrontation.

"We have told principals and teachers not to force children to do exams. If they are not ready and examinations are creating tension, talk to them and negotiate," he said.

He argued that only a small fraction of the country's 3.2 million learners were involved in unrest and maintained that learning remained largely uninterrupted in most schools.

"We are not going to interfere with the school calendar because of a few students. We cannot accept to be distracted by a few criminal students engaging in bad activities," he said.

However, even as the government insists the situation is under control, more schools have reported unrest, with some institutions temporarily closing to contain tensions.

Teachers' unions have also expressed concern. In Kakamega, KUPPET officials called for an early mid-term break, arguing that it could help ease pressure in schools and prevent further incidents.

The latest criticism is not the first time Bitok has found himself under the spotlight.

Earlier this year, MPs questioned the Ministry of Education's handling of key policy issues during a legislative retreat in Naivasha.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah delivered one of the sharpest critiques.

"Yourself and your PS, you have the most clueless PS in the Ministry of Education. He only sits in Nairobi and has no idea what is happening on the ground," he said while addressing Education CS Julius Ogamba.

Ichung'wah challenged the PS to leave the office and spend more time understanding the realities facing schools across the country.

Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba backed the criticism and called for decisive action against both the CS and the PS.

Questions have also been raised about Bitok's relationship with Parliament.

In February, he failed to appear before the National Assembly's Education Committee at the scheduled time to present budget proposals, forcing lawmakers to reschedule the session.

When he eventually appeared before the committee later that day, the PS apologised and blamed the incident on a communication breakdown.

"There was a miscommunication and I take responsibility. for what happened. I am very sorry to the committee because Parliament is a serious institution and we had no intention of disrespecting its summons," he said.

Last week, the Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) formally petitioned the Public Service Commission seeking Bitok's removal from office.

The consumer lobby cited alleged gross misconduct, incompetence, abuse of office, violations of public finance management principles and conduct unbecoming of a state officer.

COFEK argued that the Constitution provides a clear framework for the removal of a PS and urged the commission to act.

"The children of Kenya deserve better than a PS who presides over a department drowning in rot," the organisation stated.