Anxiety as State, NGOs await Global fund report

By Elizabeth Mwai

Anxiety has gripped the Government and civil society over the upcoming audit report from the Global Fund.

Civil society members are wary of replacing old members at the Country Co-ordinating Mechanism (CCM) as they await the report.

CCM acting Chairman Peter Kubebea said they had received communication from Geneva, the Global Fund headquarters, the report would be out in two months.

"The Office of Inspector General conducts continuous annual audits among all Global Fund beneficiaries and Kenya is among the 20 countries where such audits were carried out," Mr Kubebea said on Wednesday.

In an exclusive interview with The Standard, Kubebea said the inspectors who were in the country for six weeks, were conducting routine procedures and there was no need to worry. He said they have contacted the Government to begin a process of electing a chairperson, and the person could be any of the PS in the ministries of Finance, Special Programmes, Public Health or Medical Services.

under-utilised funds

The CCM chair position fell vacant when the immediate Medical Services PS James ole Kiyapi was transferred to Education.

Kubebea said the Global Fund governance manual says it is the vice-chair who fills the position before a chair is elected, to ensure continuation of operations. The Government gives three names or one person to be elected CCM chair.

Kubebea said the civil society who form constituents of the CCM are to elect the members to the board.

However, so far, no names have been forwarded to the board.

Six officials arrived in the county last month amid concern over slow usage of the funds. Kenya has applied for round ten of the funds and the outcome is expected by this year.

Kubebea said slow absorption rate, low capacity among recipients and disbursement delay affected the use of the global funds.