Selena Gomez sends message to President Uhuru Kenyatta

American singer Selena Gomez has released a video where she is urging Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to make education a priority.

Also Read: Kenya targets 30% allocation of national budget to education 

She revealed that she recently visited Kenya and met people who are fighting for the right for free and inclusive education.

“Countless students in Kenya are not receiving a quality education including 59% of girls who are not even going to school,” she said in the video that was posted on her Facebook page on March 4.

The 27-year-old singer further lamented over what she described as poor and most marginalized people in Kenya missing out on critical opportunities.

According to her, President Kenyatta had promised to increase spending on education from 17% to 30% in the national budget.

However, she lamented saying this pledge has not materialised and urged the Kenyan Head of State and the Education CS to urgently take up the matter.

The pop-star said she is part of the 41,000-global citizens campaign urging President Kenyatta to deliver on his promise.

“I’m joining you to ask the Kenyan minister of education and President Kenyatta to show how they plan to live up to the 30% promise,” she concluded.

In December 2018, President Kenyatta said that Kenya would increase its national budget allocation to education to reach 30 percent, making it among the highest in Africa.

He was addressing thousands of African youths attending the “Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100” in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The President said his administration would go beyond the global expectation of 20 percent national budget allocation to education.