Members of Parliament have questioned the Tharaka Constituency NG-CDF Fund Account Manager over a missing title deed for land housing the constituency’s offices, as well as other financial irregularities.
Appearing before the Decentralised Funds Accounts Committee (DFAC), chaired by Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi, the manager faced tough questions regarding the lack of ownership documents and the unconfirmed value of the fund’s assets. The audit queries under scrutiny cover a ten-year period, from the 2013/14 to 2022/23 financial years, and include both Tharaka and Chuka-Igambang’ombe constituencies.
Lawmakers expressed concern that despite several years of operations, the Tharaka CDF office had not secured proper ownership documentation for its premises. “Public funds must be protected by proper documentation. A missing title deed raises accountability questions,” the committee emphasized.
In addition to the missing land documents, the Tharaka CDF manager was also questioned over unprocedural procurement practices. His counterpart from Chuka-Igambang’ombe faced similar scrutiny for procurement irregularities and project delays during the 2022/23 financial year.
The former Chuka-Igambang’ombe manager attributed the delays to election activities, claiming the electoral cycle interfered with project implementation. However, Webuye East MP Martin Wanyonyi dismissed the explanation, stating, “How does an election hinder project implementation? Managers are not part of the elections.”
Meru MP Dorothy Muthoni echoed the sentiment, noting that elections do not stop the disbursement of funds and that projects should continue as planned regardless of the political season.
The DFAC has scheduled a follow-up meeting next week with both constituency managers to ensure accountability and compliance. The MPs have directed them to submit Bills of Quantities (BQs), procurement documents, completion certificates, and photographic evidence of the projects under review.
