Kisumu Assembly on the spot over missing Sh47 million

Members of Kisumu County Assembly are up in arms over an alleged loss of Sh47 million that was meant for their Car loans and Mortgages.

The MCAs claim that the money has been misappropriated by senior officials at the assembly and they have now written to the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission agency (EACC) to investigate the claims.

Thursday, a section of MCAs told journalists that a number of them were yet to get their loans because of what they termed as “mysterious disappearance” of part of the money even as the assembly leadership dismissed their claims.

They said that the first batch of loan had been given selectively to a section of MCAs while a good number of them were yet to benefit from the Sh5 million loan they should be receiving for their car and mortgage.

Led by Kondele MCA Joachim Okech, they said that their car and mortgage account had Sh197 million at the start of the life of the second assembly and has been accruing interests of about 3 percent.

Okech said that they have been pushing the assembly leadership to explain to them the whereabouts of some Sh47 million missing from the coffers to no avail.

“The administrator of the fund who is the clerk does not know where the money and we need an explanation,” said Okech.

He noted that from their investigations, they established that the executive owed the assembly about Sh5 million from the fund while the rest could not be accounted for.

Last week, majority leader Kenneth Onyango who is also a member of the Car and Mortage Committee member raised the concerns during a debate saying that up to Sh47 million could not be accounted for.

"At the beginning of the last assembly, a revolving fund was created for MCAs to the tune of 250 million for purposes of car and mortgage loans. When the life of the last assembly ended, all the loans were repaid plus the interest," said  Mr Onyango.

He added: "So the revolving fund , account ought to have been credited with the original 250m plus the accrued interest. But the money that was in the account was 197m."

Thursday however, the group of MCAs said that it was unfair that most of them were yet to be given loans even as the assembly leadership remains mum over the fate of Sh47 million.

Prisca Misachi, a second term MCA representing Kaloleni/Shaurimoyo said that the controversy surrounding the fund was bound to affect the MCAs at the end of their term.

MCAs are expected to repay the Sh5 million loan within five years and cannot be cleared to contest until they settle any dues they owe the assembly.

Misachi expressed fears that assembly officials could be deducting funds from them and not remitting.

“There are a lot of issues happening in this assembly but we want to know where Sh47 million has disappeared to and why some of us are yet to receive their loans,” said Misachi.

Her comments were shared with other MCAs including nominated MCA Jennifer Obonyo who said that she had received her loan adding that it was unfair that her colleagues were yet to receive theirs.

But assembly acting clerk Benson Opiyo however dismissed their claims saying that the money was neither lost nor misappropriated.

He said that the assembly gave all MCAs Sh3 million for their Car and Mortgage and that the balance will be given to them.

“There is no money that has been lost. The issue had been raised at the floor of the house and a committee is already handling it,” said Opiyo.

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