Aldai MP Marianne Kitany sparks mixed reactions with her branded textbooks donations

Aldai Member of Parliament (MP) Marianne Kitany found herself on the receiving end on Saturday, May 13, after donating textbooks branded with her face.

The lawmaker celebrated donating the books after visiting two schools in her constituency.

"I'm happy to have issued the revision books to the candidates of the two schools as I had promised them during their motivational day.

"This will help them to prepare adequately for their upcoming exams," the MP stated.

Netizens were quick to note that the books in question had the face of the lawmaker splashed on the cover page.

Many questioned whether the books donated were for revision or were the MP’s biography going by the cover pages.

"Is this a school textbook or a biography?" quipped one netizen who was not impressed with Kitany’s face appearing on the books.

Some defended the MP, noting that with her face printed on the cover pages of the books, they are less likely to end up in private shelves or bookshops to be sold.

"This is the only way to prevent the books from ending up in the wrong hands of unscrupulous ‘entrepreneurs’ to be sold as students miss out,” one opined.

"Good work MP, education is the equaliser," another netizen supported.

Some of the books donated by Aldai Member of Parliament (MP) Marianne Kitany to schools in her constituency Pulse Live Kenya

READ: Marianne Kitany becomes only second female MP for Aldai

The books also had the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) logo and branding, which saw some opine that having the face of the lawmaker printed on the cover page of books bought by the funds amounted to misuse of office and public resources.

“With the advanced digital tech of today may be this pic didn't change the cost of the books the problem is this is not personal donations but funds borne from the same taxpayers” wrote another critic.

Despite the criticism, the lawmaker noted that the books will go a long way into ensuring that her constituents access quality education.

She also emphasized The MP emphasized that she would look into more ways of improving access to quality education in the country.