From boda boda sheds to fences, the crazy things MPs spent our money on

Auditor General Edward Ouko

In what could turn out to be classic cases of outright theft of millions of public funds, the Auditor General has exposed hundreds of ways Kenyans lose money to non-existent or abandoned projects at the constituency level.

An audit report on the use of constituency funds has revealed shocking details of how completed projects that cost the taxpayer millions in shillings have never been used, are unoccupied and prone to vandalism.

In some constituencies, the Auditor General discovered that the CDF committees mooted fictitious projects whose constructions have never taken off despite millions of shillings being paid to the contractors.

In Joseph Gitari’s Kirinyaga Central for instance, four health facilities and seven security projects which cost the taxpayer Sh18 million remain unused. The local CDF office could not explain why these projects remained idle.

One of these dispensaries cost Sh4 million and was built on private land. The land owner, Muriuki Muchiri, was told that if he surrendered the half-acre plot, he will be given a three-acre parcel at South Ngariama. The facility was still not operational when the auditor came calling.

When Leonard Sang took over as MP for Bureti Constituency, he found a multi-million shilling CDF funded project in Roret. Sang and his CDF committee pumped in an additional Sh7.1 million to the project in 2013, even though it had been earmarked for completion in November 2012. But when the auditor toured the project in September 2014, pineapple processing equipment had not been delivered and the factory structure was not complete despite gobbling up Sh20 million from the CDF kitty.

“It is not clear when the project will be completed and at what cost” the audit report reads.

In Roba Duba’s Moyale, Sh4 million was spent to repair a bridge on Bori River. But when the auditor visited the site, he found no bridge. When asked, the CDF office said the bridge was built but was swept away by floods.

Still in Moyale, Sh500,000 was spent to build a shed for the disabled at Sololo shopping centre. But instead of a new shed, the auditor was shown an extension of another large shed that had been built by the defunct County Council of Moyale and had never been put to use.

In Aduma Owuor’s Nyakach Constituency, the auditors failed to trace Sh1.4 million allegedly given to women to buy tree seedlings. Money was set aside for 12,000 tree seedlings, but when the auditor visited Koguta Forest, they realised that no trees had been planted since there was no evidence of seedlings having been received.

Githakwa Dispensary in Tetu constituency was allocated Sh5.95 million in Ndung’u Gethenji’s first year as MP. The auditor found out that although the dispensary was completed, it had not been put to use.

“The un-utilised health facility is not benefiting the community as was intended,” the audit report reads.

In Irungu Kang’ata’s Kiharu Constituency, an office building in Kahuro, which was supposed to be the operating base for the CDF committee, lies idle. The CDF team still pays Sh1.2 million in annual rent even though office the office block put up by former MP Muturi Mwangi for Sh10 million is ready for occupation.

A polytechnic in Nasira in Geoffrey Odanga’s Matayos Constituency is not operational, even though the CDF team dispatched Sh700,000 for the administration block.

In Jude Njomo’s Kiambu Town Constituency, Sh3.1 million was spent on Ting’ang’a chief’s camp, Kiringiti AP Post and Ngatia assistant chief’s office. The auditors discovered that the residents did not receive value for their money as the facilities had not been put to use.

In Stephen Ngare’s Ndia, Sh4.3 million was paid to put up a maternity wing at Kangaru Dispensary. Even though the work overshot the budget by Sh1.3 million, it was completed to the desired quality. But it remained unoccupied as late as October 2015 when the auditor closed the audit file.

In Paul Bii’s Chepalungu, CDF had allocated Sh750,000 to fence Sigor High School. Of this, Sh200,000 was used to buy fencing material, while a balance of Sh500,000 was still in the bank. A site visit revealed that the school still had no fence.

In January 9, 2014, James Bett’s Kesses Constituency disbursed Sh2.5 million to Cheptiret Health Centre. Bythe close of the financial year, no construction work had commenced and no explanation had been given for the delay.

In Maina Kamanda’s Starehe Constituency, public toilets that cost the CDF Sh9.5 million in Maasai, Kenya Wines, Land Mawe and Muthurwa had not been handed over, yet they had been completed to the required standards.

The auditors could not understand why the CDF team was still hoarding the toilets.

In John Kiragu’s Limuru, Sh3.7 million was used to build the Nazareth AP Line, but when the auditors visited, the houses had not been put into use and the land had not been transferred to the CDF. It was still in the name of the resident who donated the land.