Lobby group wants use of Rangwe CDF probed

Some of the projects funded by the Rangwe NG-CDF. [Courtesy]

A lobby group has written to the Regional Director of Criminal Investigations in Nyanza to probe the ‘misuse of funds’ in Rangwe Constituency, Homa Bay County.

The Interface Community Help Desk wants DCI to probe the issuance of bursaries and the construction of the Rangwe Sub County headquarters.

The Community Based Organization (CBO) alleges that the project which was to cost Sh61 million was supposed to take 18 months ending on April 22, 2022, but its construction stalled.

A 2021 report from Auditor General Nancy Gathungu shows that the construction had stalled.

Her office did the audit on April 7, 2022, and she noted that it was to be completed on April 22 and by the time of the audit only beams and pillars had been done.

Construction works resumed in May 2024 and the CBO says they suspect it is being funded with money initially meant for bursaries.

They allege that a contractor withdrew Sh30 million in cash from the initial budget which they allege could have been used as a bribe.

When reached for a comment Rangwe MP Dr Lilian Gogo denied these claims saying that the government has access to all her accounts and those of her next of kin in case they needed to probe her.

“When the DCI is looking for me, they can tag along the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission,” she said.

“I have no reason to dip my hands in public funds.”

She is currently serving her second term and attributes these claims to politics adding that she cannot be corrupt since she is the vice chairperson of the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC).

On February 13, 2024, Clifford Obiero, a lawyer, wrote to the Rangwe NG CDF Board, the CDF Manager, and the area MP, accusing the office of misusing public resources and disregarding public input during public participation exercises.

He says in his letter that a public participation exercise held on May 13, 2014, at the Rangwe CDF Hall, agreed on the site for the construction of the headquarters a decision which he says had been ignored by the current management.

The lawyer decries the continued delay in finishing construction works at the project four years since it started in 2020 despite funds being available.

Obiero alleges that a certificate of completion has been issued yet the project is incomplete.

The lawyer further alleges the site where the construction works took place was supposed to be for individual allocations to the public in its name, saying it is on the Homa Bay County land.

“We risk losing the Constituency Administrative Unit to the public, besides impeding the growth of Rangwe Township as planned, structured and agreed upon.”

The CBO further claims that the headquarters are being constructed by individuals with questionable credentials, raising concerns about the misuse of public resources.

“Many vulnerable students who should have benefited from the bursaries will now have to stay at home as the funds meant to sponsor their education have been diverted to support a project plagued by massive looting,” it reads.

Dr Gogo said that she has never stolen anything from the CDF adding that if any of her staff is involved in corruption the relevant authorities should probe them.

Interface Community also wants the DCI to look into the bursary scheme which they say had been allocated Sh67 million for college and college students.

Of the amount, they claim that only Sh25 million has been disbursed which led them to believe that the funds could have been lost through withdrawals by proxies.

Dr Gogo denied these claims saying that the CDF is audited by several people including OAG and if there were any irregularities then they would have been exposed.

The CBO also wants the DCI to probe the construction of the Gem-Sori Kachiena location Chief’s office which they say cost Sh5 million and the money has been withdrawn from the account but the structure is not complete.

“It is alarming to note that the office remains an iron sheet structure reminiscent of a small-scale poultry establishment situated in a remote village,” reads the letter to DCI.

In response, Dr Gogo denied allocating any money to the project adding that it was allocated by the previous MP and the amount was not Sh5 million.

Gathungu’s report on the Rangwe NG CDF for the year ending June 30, 2021, said the constituency could not avail documents for Sh1.7 million expenditure on sports and environment projects.

Others were Sh6.2 million for assets acquisition as well as Sh1.1 million in cash and cash equivalents that could not be confirmed.

According to the report, Sh20 million was spent outside the budgeted Sh66.4 million, and the budgeted amount's accuracy could not be confirmed.

Ms Nancy Gathungu could not ascertain the accuracy of Sh19 million in assets.

She however noted that the constituency was underfunded to the tune of Sh54 million which could have negatively affected service delivery to the public.

Gathungu also noted that some of the tenders given did not have supporting documents and some documentation was not provided for audit.

She added that Sh21 million that was used to renovate classrooms in over nine schools could not be confirmed and Sh26 million was used on bursaries but there was no advert or notice to the public to make applications.

She also noted that the office lacked a procurement plan and had failed to insure fixed and moveable assets.

In a 2022 audit, Gathungu said that she could not confirm the accuracy and completeness of Sh200 million transfers from the Rangwe NG CDF board.

She added that the constituency received Sh21 million less than their approved budget which could have affected service delivery to the public.

OAG noted that the constituents may not get the value for Sh20 million spent in carrying out construction works in three secondary schools in the area.

According to Ms Gathungu, the residents were denied benefits accruing from environmental projects valued at Sh7 million.

She said that the NG CDF allocated only Sh21 million for bursaries which was 15 per cent of the approved budget contrary to regulations which state that bursaries should be at least 25 per cent of the total budget.