Double bursary payment, missing receipts: Auditor General flags CDF wastage

Members of Parliament are on the spot for failing to account for millions of shillings allocated under the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) as highlighted in the Auditor General's report for the year ending 2023.

A recurring issue across several constituencies is the disbursement of bursaries with no proper accountability or documentation.

In Saku Constituency, Ksh.47,276,348 was allocated for bursaries to assist students in various institutions. However, Ksh.8,275,350 of this amount was not acknowledged by the receiving schools, and no receipts or acknowledgment letters were provided.

Additionally, Ksh.9,038,023 in bursaries were disbursed without proper student lists or admission numbers, raising concerns over the legitimacy of these payments.

In Moyale Constituency, Ksh.3,264,000 was spent on committee expenses, including Ksh.2,328,000 for allowances related to monitoring and evaluation exercises.

However, no evidence was provided to confirm that these funds were used for actual project visits.

Furthermore, Ksh.9,507,218 was allocated for the purchase of a 49-seater bus for Dr Guracha Memorial Girls Secondary School, but no tender documents were provided for audit.

In Sirisia Constituency, Ksh.35,579,485 in bursary disbursements could not be verified as accurate or complete.

Similarly, Ksh.1,000,000 allocated for the purchase of land for Kikai Girls Secondary School was questioned, as no ownership documents were provided.

In Kapseret Constituency, Ksh.2,600,097 was spent on committee expenses, but the required PAYE deductions for committee allowances totalling Ksh.1,217,300 were not remitted to the Kenya Revenue Authority, breaching the law.

The accuracy and completeness of Ksh.44,710,567 in bursary disbursements were also flagged as unverified.

Further concerns were raised in Lang'ata Constituency, where Ksh.52,905,000 in bursary disbursements lacked clear criteria for distribution, and no acknowledgment letters from recipient institutions were provided.

In Dagoretti South, the asset register showed Ksh.85,408,005 in assets, including land, buildings, and structures valued at Ksh.60,000,000, but no ownership documents were presented for audit.

In Rongai Constituency, Nakuru County, Ksh.4,366,055 in bursaries lacked the necessary student registration, admission numbers, or application forms.

In Jomvu Constituency, no financial statements were provided for the Project Management Committee's account balance of Ksh.51,072,436, leading to questions regarding the accuracy of the balance.

These findings together with irregularities noticed in other constituencies expose widespread mismanagement and irregularities in the handling of NGCDF funds, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability across multiple constituencies.