We've been locked out of projects, Kakamega residents say

Residents have said failure to involve them in public projects has limited their capacity to fight corruption.

The locals told the National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee sitting in Butere that the county administration only involved them in formulation but not implementation of projects.

They used the Shiatsala Early Childhood Development Education centre to show how the county government used Sh2 million for the project but the community remained skeptical about it.

The project management committee comprising members of the public, school administration and parents said they didn't know how the contractor was awarded the tender.

Committee secretary Samuel Ndakala said the public was not happy with the contractor's work, adding that issues raised had not been addressed.

The commission engaged the public on matters concerning leadership, integrity and anti-corruption, and provided them with the necessary support to combat and prevent graft.

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John Mung'oni who read the commission's report, thanked the county government for the project but noted the issues that had been raised.

"The project is not complete but the public is told otherwise. There was no representative from the public on the committee. In future, that should not happen," he said.

In 2014, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Archbishop Eliud Wabukhala to chair the National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee.

The committee runs nationwide public education campaigns aimed at changing Kenyans' attitude towards corruption.

Committee member Salim Muhamed said the commission was out to sensitise people on their role in the fight against graft.

"We are educating the public so that they can demand accountability around projects. We are not after jailing people but rectifying mistakes," he said.

He said many public projects in the country were awarded to contractors without the public taking the time to scrutinise them and seek answers.