Members of Parliament (MPs) have refuted allegations of misappropriating bursary funds, insisting they are not responsible for the direct implementation of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
The lawmakers, led by Gideon Mulyungi, Chairman of the Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee, termed the claims contained in the Auditor General’s report as misleading and lacking factual basis, saying that the funds accounts managers are to be blamed.
The report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu had alleged that several MPs were using bursary allocations meant for needy students within their constituencies for personal or irregular purposes.
The audit flagged issues such as incomplete projects, double payments, missing documentation and unaccounted expenditures across multiple constituencies.
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Specifically, the report revealed that Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi could not account for Ksh44 million disbursed as bursaries and an additional Ksh2 million allegedly used for committee expenses. Similarly, in Lang’ata Constituency, represented by MP Felix Odiwuor, Ksh52 million spent on bursaries lacked sufficient supporting documents during the audit review.
However, lawmakers clarified that their role in the NG-CDF structure is limited to oversight and policy direction. The management and disbursement of the funds, they explained, is handled by Fund Account Managers employed by the NG-CDF Board.
“This Committee has pronounced itself on these false allegations. We do not implement CDF; the Fund Managers should be answerable in cases of irregularities,” Mulyungi stated.
Nominated MP Dorothy Muthoni echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that MPs are not involved in the operational aspects of fund distribution, but only audit and monitor fund usage.
In response to the persistent audit concerns, the Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee announced plans to summon Auditor General Nancy Gathungu to provide clarity on the audit methodology and address inconsistencies in the reports.
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The 2022/2023 Auditor General’s report had highlighted discrepancies in the utilization of NG-CDF funds in over 50 constituencies, bringing under scrutiny projects worth approximately Ksh1.3 billion. The report raised red flags over instances of stalled projects, lack of value-for-money assessments and weak internal controls within Fund Management offices.
Despite the recurring audit issues, Parliament maintains that accountability lies with the Fund Managers, not elected legislators. The MPs are now seeking a structured engagement with oversight bodies to streamline reporting standards and reduce public misinformation regarding their roles.
By Benedict Aoya
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