CDF shocker as 137 MPs’ spending plans rejected

The National Assembly in session. MPs have maintained a stranglehold on CDF kitty. [PHOTO: FILE]

NAIROBI, KENYA: Scores of MPs have been stopped from spending millions of shillings in taxpayers money on constituency projects that could be seen as vehicles for political patronage or attempts to cover up alleged misuse of funds.

While MPs have persistently vilified the governors, accusing them of misusing county funds, it emerged that the national custodian of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which was allocated Sh33 billion this year, had uncovered illegal expenditures that some lawmakers had hidden in their budget plans.

The CDF Board slammed brakes on project proposals by scores of members of the National Assembly that it ruled are not in the public interest but would serve partisan agendas, including enriching cronies.

The move has highlighted the misuse of the kitty over which MPs have maintained a stranglehold.

The CDF Board told the MPs that it declined the projects because they looked like rewards for voters, cronies or simply personal awards, thereby defeating the purpose of the kitty to foster grassroots development.

Currently, CDF is pegged at 2.5 per cent of the total audited national revenue raised by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), but there are reports that MPs are plotting to amend the Constitution to raise it to 10 per cent. The latest development is bound to raise concerns over the wisdom of increasing the amount of cash available to the legislators by four times.

In its latest report, the board thwarted attempts by MPs to use CDF money to buy more cars, land, buildings, and even factories, and have them taken over by women groups, and savings and credit societies (Saccos) in their constituencies.

Voi constituency, for instance, sought to use CDF money to take teachers on trips it termed "inter-county benchmarking".

Turkana Central Constituency wanted a Toyota Land Cruiser and a pick-up "fitted with all accessories, including electronic and manual winches".  The Land Cruiser would have cost Sh6.5 million and the pick-up Sh6 million, but the CDF Board rejected the request because under the CDF Act, the Constituency Development Fund Committee can only acquire one vehicle, and "already has a vehicle".

The same constituency also wanted to spend Sh2 million on a guest house for Lobereta Women Group.

The constituency in the arid Turkana County, with poor or non-existent electricity connection and virtually no Internet, also wanted to hire a consultant to develop "an online bursary application system, students' database, website, Facebook and Twitter handle and its management for one year", but the request was turned down.

The report by the CDF Board shows that up to 137 constituencies failed to meet the legal prescription on the projects that qualify for funding. Some had the projects declined, while others had projects approved with conditions.

The report also reveals that 14 MPs were yet to push their CDF committees to submit project proposals to the board for review — almost four months into the financial year. The board had no option but to give the constituencies the bare minimum for administrative costs, bursaries, emergency spending and monitoring and evaluation.

The failed constituencies are Alego Usonga, Bonchari, Kaloleni, Kanduyi, Kieni, Kitui Rural, Machakos Town, Maragwa, Muhoroni, Nyatike, Nyeri Town, Ruaraka, Subukia and West Mugirango.

Tigania West Constituency in Meru County and Mvita Constituency in Mombasa County tried to get CDF money to provide their constituents with title deeds. They had both allocated Sh1 million for land adjudication to clear all the legal and financial hurdles, and make sure that hundreds of residents who do not have the land titles get the crucial documents.

"The project amounts to personal awards, which is against the CDF Act," said the CDF Board.

Tigania West also wanted Sh1.3 million to repair a vehicle belonging to the District Education Board and buy equipment. The board rejected the proposal because the money is meant for development projects.

Also guilty of trying to divert CDF money to "personal awards" is Kilifi North Constituency which wanted Sh2 million to buy nets for fishermen in Matsangoni, Mnarani and Watamu wards.

Tongaren and Kitutu Chache North constituencies wanted to use CDF money to set up projects and hand them over to a savings and credit society.

Tongaren wanted to use Sh8 million to build cereal stores for farmers, to be managed by a Sacco. Saccos can't run CDF projects.

For Kitutu Chache North, the MP's team wanted Sh3 million to build the foundation and brickwork for the Sombogo Tea Factory. The CDF Board rejected the project. It reminded the MP Jimmy Angwenyi and his committee that the project had been rejected before.

"The project was proposed in 2013/14 financial year, but it was declined after it was established that the factory will be owned by tea growers through their contribution," said the board.

"The growers have currently contributed Sh137 million towards the factory, thereby raising questions on whether the group was really eligible for CDF support given the huge capital base".

Voi Constituency had wanted Sh2 million for a quarterly newsletter. The board told the MP Jones Mlolwa to get the money from the CDF budget of "administration and recurrent".

Mathioya Constituency, of Clement Wambugu, had allocated Sh24.7 million to eight students to study aviation at the Kenya School of Flying.

 

The board rejected it and told the MP that "the project should benefit a wide cross-section of the community" and that it should be "equitably distributed".

Igembe North's Joseph M'eruaki had asked for Sh2 million to "nutrition assessment", but the board says the amount is "recurrent" and the budget for "monitoring and evaluation" will do just fine to meet the cost of the survey.

The same verdict also befell the Sh800,000 the constituency wanted to use for peace building with the neighbouring Isiolo and Samburu counties.

In Joseph Magwanga's Kasipul Constituency, the CDF committee wanted Sh500,000 to buy land for a cemetery, but the board said that is the job of the County Government of Homa Bay.

Naivasha MP John Kihagi wanted Sh1.5 million for a "sub-county master-plan", but the CDF board said that is the job of the line ministry.

Mr Ken Obura's Kisumu Central Constituency wanted Sh500,000 for grading of roads in Kenya Re Estate, but the board rejected the proposal because the "estate is under a private developer".