Edward Ouko queries use of Sh1bn CDF cash
Auditor-General Edward Ouko participates in a workshop organised by the Building Bridges Initiative Task Force at KICC last month. He has shed light on financial improprieties in some constituencies. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- In Mwala constituency, Machakos County, projects worth Sh271.7 million had stalled or had not been implemented, at least during the period under review.
- In Bondo constituency (Siaya County), the audit noted the unauthorised reallocation of bursary funds of Sh20 million.
Eight constituencies cannot account for about Sh1 billion allocated to them from the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), Auditor-General Edward Ouko says.
This is in a report covering up to June 30, 2017 that was tabled in the National Assembly last week by Majority Leader Aden Duale.
About Sh5 billion is allocated to the NG-CDF for 290 constituencies annually, but the audit revealed that many constituencies have no documentation to back up their huge expenditures.
The billions of shillings were used largely to pay fees for students in primary, secondary and other institutions of learning, as well as to build classrooms and murram roads.
Notably, some of the money was used to finance functions that are the responsibility of the county governments.
PROGRAMMES
In Samburu North constituency, Samburu County, financial statements indicate that education bursaries amounting to Sh48.2million were disbursed against a budget of Sh58.2million, but there was no documentation to support that expenditure.
In Mwala constituency, Machakos County, projects worth Sh271.7 million had stalled or had not been implemented, at least during the period under review.
The auditor has also questioned the variations between budgeted and actual expenditures on the compensation of employees and other government expenditures.
In Ndaragwa constituency, Nyandarua County, Sh2.7 million said to have been disbursed to the Gwa Kungu and Nyakinyua water projects for the construction of water tanks and piping cannot be accounted for.
Physical verification of the projects revealed that no water tanks were built. Instead, new pipes were connected to the old water tanks.
BURSARY
The situation is no different in Mumias West constituency, Kakamega County, where the implementation of many projects has been delayed.
In Mandera East (Mandera County), about Sh223.7 million cannot be accounted for due to the variance between cash book balance and statements of assets balance, irregular procurement for secondary school projects, flouting of procurement laws and unaccounted for bursary expenses.
In Dagoretti South constituency (Nairobi County), the audit revealed that Sh156 million was supposed to be spent, but overall actual expenditure amounted to Sh68.7million, resulting in under-expenditure of Sh87.2million.
In Bondo constituency (Siaya County), the audit noted the unauthorised reallocation of bursary funds of Sh20 million, including Sh4.9 million reallocated by the project management committee to three secondary schools.
