Chief seizes, auctions sheep after man refuses to pay daughter's fees
Olkiriaine chief Mr Tipila Narankaik(center)with some livestock buyers at Ewuaso Ng'iro livestock market. The chief confiscated the eight goats from a family after man of the family refused to pay for his daughter's form one school fees.
There was drama in Oloriaine village, Narok South sub-county, after a chief forcibly confiscated eight sheep from a man and auctioned them to raise money for his daughter’s Form One school fees.
Chief Tipila ole Narankaik told journalists that he took the law into his own hands after the 15-year-old girl’s father refused to take her to school though he owns several livestock.
The girl had scored 244 marks out of the possible 500 in the KCPE exam at Leng'ina Primary School and had been admitted to Lemek Namunyak Girls Secondary School in Narok West sub-county.
"I had tried to tell her father to take the girl to school but he refused and instead he sent her to be a barmaid. I spoke with the family and we agreed that we take the sheep and sell them for the girl to go to school," said Mr Narankaik.
The chief took the seven sheep and one goat to the Ewuaso Ng'iro livestock market and sold them for a total of Sh45,000 which will be used to pay school fees and buy personal items for the girl.
Olkiriaine Chief Mr Tipila Narankaik addressing Journalists. The chief confiscated the eight goats from a family after the man of the family refused to pay for his daughter's form one school fees
"The first-term school fees for Form One is Sh17,500. The money raised from the sale of the animals will sort out everything. The girl is set to join the school on Tuesday,” Mr Narankaik said.
The girl's mother, Ms Nookiyoi Kariankei, applauded the chief's move, saying that her husband had refused to pay their firstborn’s school fees.
"I had done some shopping for her but my husband refused to pay school fees, claiming that he did not have money," said Ms Kariankei.
Mr Stanley Kariankei, chairman of the girl's family, also threw his weight behind the chief's actions, saying that his runaway brother had been stubborn.
"We had met as a family in a bid to make him take the girl to school but all fell on deaf ears. Since he had his livestock, we supported the chief in confiscating the sheep," said Mr Kariankei.
He added that the family would follow up the matter and ensure that the girl completes her secondary education.
The chief said they were pained by the girl’s situation because she was once rescued from an early marriage when she was in Standard Six.
