Jubilee’s spending wasteful, Johnstone Muthama claims

Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama . He has criticized the jubilee Government over wasteful spending. [PHOTOS: STANDARD]

BY ERASTUS MULWA

MACHAKOS COUNTY: The Jubilee government has come under sharp criticism over its policy on utilization of public finances and alleged failure to fight graft in public institutions.

Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama and Kathiani MP Robert Mbui claimed the Government has been out of touch with the real challenges facing majority of Kenyans.

The two leaders spoke at the weekend after leading a funds drive in aid of Kumbwa Youth Polytechnic in Kathiani constituency, Machakos County where slightly over Shs 1 million was raised.

The outspoken Senator who was the chief guest at the ceremony, said Jubilee’s greatest handicaps include failure to get priorities right, improper handling of public funds as well as the country’s spiraling insecurity, which has been associated with terror activities.

He criticized the government’s decision to set aside Sh 8billion for a fresh registration of Kenyans, claiming it’s a clever plot calculated to lay ground for rigging the next general election and also an avenue for looting public coffers.

“The Government should instead utilize the existing officers like chiefs and their assistants to monitor any illegal immigrants to their respective areas of administration rather than committing such colossal amounts of money on fresh registration of persons,” he said.

Muthama said the high cost of living being experienced by Kenyans is as an indicator that the Government has failed to take precautions to ensure the majority poor are cushioned from exploitation and excessive taxation.

“It is regrettable that the Jubilee Government has refused to hear the cries of its own people, who are languishing under excessive taxation, which has almost driven majority to come street beggars,” said Muthama.

The former Kangundo MP challenged the Government to develop a national policy strategy for promoting entrepreneurial culture especially among youth and women, who have been worst hit by poverty and unemployment.

At the same time, Kathiani MP Robert Mbui turned guns against the Machakos County government, accusing it of failing to involve residents’ participation in identifying development priorities.

Mr Mbui said the County government has, against the blessings of voters, concentrated development projects in Machakos Town at the expense of seven other constituencies which he claimed have been neglected.

“This government has forgotten that there are residents in other constituencies who also voted for it and they therefore deserve equal measure of services,” he said.

The MP said it is ill advised for Alfred Mutua’s government to neglect essential services like provision of drugs to health institutions in favour of projects like the Machakos Park which is of little help to the ordinary residents.