Nakuru executives grilled on misuse of funds, failed projects and unaccountability

Nakuru County Assembly. [File, Standard]

For two days, top Nakuru County Government executives were grilled for hours before the County Assembly over alleged misuse of funds, failed projects and unaccountability.

The grilling exposed the County Executive Committee Members’ (CECMs) ignorance of some of the issues raised, particularly those touching on their specific departments.

John Kihagi, the CECM for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development, found it hard to explain why the county did not have an Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) land in Gilgil, despite having paid Sh4.47 million for land.

Kihagi confirmed to the Assembly’s implementation committee that they wanted to purchase Bombo ECDE land in Gilgil for Sh6 million in 2024.

“We were able to pay Sh4.49 million, and we waited for the approval of the balance money to pay. I may not have some details of the same,” he said.

Kihagi did not know the status of the land, and it took the intervention of an MCA from Gilgil to confirm that it was still in private ownership.

Further, Kihagi did not explain why the county could not request that the sellers surrender part of the land equivalent to Sh4.49 million.

“You are telling us that for over two years you have been unable to resolve the issues of the land?” asked a concerned MCA.

In response, Kihagi maintained that the issue would have to be addressed through negotiations because there was a signed agreement and it needed time.

He was also put to task over public utterances by Governor Susan Kihika and members of his department that some towns would be elevated to municipalities without proper documentation.

Kihagi’s explanation that some of the pronounced centres would not be elevated caused uproar from the MCAs of the respective centres.

Elburgon MCA Peter Njuguna faulted the department for making false statements, and, in turn, the residents they represented blamed the MCAs.

MCA Peter Palang’a faulted the department for unfairly raising residents' expectations with public promises, only to delay them over alleged budget constraints.

“It is either you lied to the people in public, or you stole the money meant for the elevations of the town centres,” he said.

The CEC for Education and ICT, Zipporah Ngugi, and her department were interrogated regarding Sh162 million allegedly set aside for the bursary in the 2025/2026 Financial Year.

Despite the department’s accountant claiming that the money was safe in the revenue account, the department failed to provide documents to prove the same.

Pressed further on the same, the department promised to submit the said documents after consultation with the Department of Finance.

The unsatisfactory answers angered the MCAs, who urged the committee to provide documents within a week or face action, including impeachment.

“We have seen the CEC campaigning instead of dealing with the bursary matters. Children in the ECDE do not know when the bursaries will be disbursed. We have the power to impeach all the departments’ heads,” said another MCA.

Engineer Michael Kamau, the CECM Roads, Transport and Public Works, failed to explain the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) deal on roads.

MCAs raised concerns that, despite the county agreeing with the National Youth Service (NYS) to carry out road construction at the expense of other contractors, the NYS were not on the ground.

John Mwangi, the chair of the Implementation Committee, wondered why the roads were taking so long and why they were being graded by the county government instead of NYS.

“The governor campaigned for the G to G and said it was the only way, but we still have poor roads, and nothing is being done,” said MCA Alex Mbugua.

He noted that Sh165 million had been set aside for the 55 wards in Nakuru, but some had received nothing, and the roads were still poor.

“Where are the trucks? What will we tell our people who complain of poor roads?” asked Mbugua.

MCAs also complained that the departments were not taking the summons issued to them seriously, as some of them appeared without the required documents and relevant officers in key departments.

The grilling is expected to continue in the coming weeks.

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