Nation Team
21 July 2008
Nairobi — Millions of shillings allocated by the Government for various development projects in Nyanza and Western provinces have gone to waste, an audit has revealed.
According to audit reports and interviews with players involved in the implementation of the Constituency Development Fund, most of the projects have either stalled or failed to take off completely.
This was largely due to misappropriation of funds allocated to the projects, inadequate funding, failure to establish viability of the ventures or shoddy performance by contractors.
Funds have been wasted on health facilities, schools, rural electrification programmes, roads, bridges, and irrigation schemes, among other projects.
Utilised properly
As a result, account managers seconded to CDF committees by the Government are recommending changes if the funds allocated for various projects are to be utilised properly.
According to the account manager of the Kitutu Masaba CDF committee, Mr Amos Apollo, lack of managerial know-how by implementing teams was largely to blame for the stalling of most projects.
In North Mugirango constituency, some of the stalled projects include Isoge and Sere dispensaries in Borabu and Ekerenyo divisions respectively.
The projects are said to have been either allocated insufficient funds or the money remitted was embezzled.
Misappropriation
In Kitutu Masaba, many water projects stalled due to various reasons, including alleged misappropriation of funds.
Lack of adequate consultations resulted in wastage of public resources in Kisumu West constituency.
About Sh450,000 was spent on constructing fish-drying shades in Obunga, only for the structures to be destroyed by the council because they were located on a road reserve.
Out of the 196 CDF projects initiated in Mumias constituency, only 80 have been completed. In Shinyalu constituency, construction of five rural roads has ignited controversy after contractors were issued with completion certificates before the work was completed.
Reported by Patrick Mayoyo, Henry Nyarora, Ouma Wanzala, John Shilitsa, Benson Amadala, Abiud Ochieng and Elisha Otieno
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