Roysambu and Kabete CDF accounts frozen over misuse fears

NAIROBI: The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) board has put on hold accounts of two constituencies, paralysing projects.

Spending for Roysambu constituency represented by Waihenya Ndirangu and that of Kabete which was represented by the late George Muchai has been frozen over concerns of possible misuse.

The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) is investigating Roysambu's CDF accounts, while the forthcoming by-election in Kabete has raised fears of irregular withdrawals should the accounts remain active in the run up to the mini-polls.

During the current financial year, Roysambu constituency received Sh23.2 million in CDF allocation, while Kabete received Sh48 million.

"The CDF board has imposed a temporary freeze on the Kabete constituency bank account in order to ensure prudent management of funds during the electioneering period and Roysambu constituency on request by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. This is meant to conserve the funds pending an investigation being conducted by the commission," the board said in its report.

This came amid revelations in the same report that over Sh16 billion meant for development in the constituencies is lying in Government coffers less than two months before the end of the current financial year.

The report indicates that out of Sh29 billion allocated for use by the country's 290 constituencies, only Sh13 billion has so far been disbursed, once again raising questions on the slow uptake of CDF.

PLACE RESTRICTIONS

Interestingly, the funds that have been disbursed to the constituencies are only for the first allocation during the current financial year, meaning that 2014/2015's second allocation will be made in the 2015/2016 financial year.

The CDF Act compels the board to submit a summary of the fund disbursement status for various constituencies. The latest report covers details of projects for the 2014/2015 financial year and the status of disbursement as at February 28, 2015.

Apart from Kabete and Roysambu, the CDF board has also placed restrictions on the use of over Sh30 million that had earlier been proposed for various projects in six other constituencies.

The constituencies had either failed to adhere to the CDF Act or proposed projects that were non-viable, according to the report.

West Mugirango constituency, represented by James Gesami has been asked not to spend Sh2 million for the purchase of a land quarry after it emerged the CDF committee did not adhere to a circular that had directed that such land be leased.

A proposal by Kitui South CDF committee to construct a medical training college, reportedly without the input of the college management, has also been stopped in its tracks.

Other affected constituencies are Kitutu Chache South (Richard Onyonka), Fafi (Barre Shill), Wajir South (Abdullahi Diriye) and Msambweni (Suleiman Dori).