Report: 16 constituencies in Kenya yet to exhaust allocations

NAIROBI: Over 10 constituencies are yet to exhaust money from the Constituency Development Fund allocated to them in 2013-2014 as the end of the financial year draws nearer.

A report tabled before the National Assembly reveals that 16 out of the 290 constituencies are yet to receive a cent in the current financial year as allocations given to them in the last one are yet to be fully utilised.

Constituencies not captured in the CDF board report are: Embakasi South, (MP Mohammed Sumra), Kajiado East (Peris Tobiko), Kitui South (Rachael Nyamai), Mbooni (Michael Munyao), Mwea (Peter Gitau), Tetu (Ndungu Gethenji), Kangema (Titus Ngahu), Kirinyaga Central (Joseph Gachoki) and Ndia (Stephen Muriuki).

Others are Nyaribari Chache (Nyagaka Tongi), Bobasi (Stephen Manoti), Bonchari (John Oyioka), Naivasha (John Kihagi), Baringo North (William Cheptumo) and Rongai (Raymond Moi).

The report was tabled in the House even as MPs battled to save the CDF kitty following a High Court ruling that had declared the CDF Act illegal.

MPs gathered at a city hotel to explore ways of aligning the Act with the Constitution, which was one of the grounds for the court case.

FRUSTRATED PROJECTS

CDF Board Chairman Yusuf Mbuno said some constituencies that were yet to receive the money had been embroiled in court cases over utilisation of the funds, a situation that had frustrated the completion of development projects in the constituencies.

Other constituencies were still caught up in the intricacies of procurement, leading to delays in the implementation of projects. Mr Mbuno said it was the responsibility of each CDF committee to ensure that money allocated to the constituencies was utilised before they could get another disbursement.

"The fact that the money has not been disbursed does not mean that it has gone elsewhere. The constituencies will be able to utilise the funds once they exhaust their current allocations or the legal issues surrounding the utilisation of the funds are resolved," he said.

House CDF Committee Chairman Moses Lessonet (Eldama Ravine) said his committee was concerned about the slow uptake of funds and would seek an explanation from the affected constituencies.

"The fact that the funds are unutilised is a concern for us. We intend to summon the various CDF committees to explain why the funds were not utilised," said Mr Lessonet.