A section of Members of Parliament have vowed to summon Auditor General Nancy Gathungu to explain a report accusing them of misusing the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) bursary allocations for the 2023/2024 financial year. The lawmakers, led by Chairman of the Decentralised Funds Accounts Committee Gideon Mulyungi, rejected the claims, describing them as misleading and false. According to the Auditor General's report, several MPs were allegedly using bursary funds meant for students in their own constituencies.
However, the lawmakers denied these claims, reiterating that they are not directly involved in the implementation of the funds. Auditor General Nancy Gathungu speaking during the sensitisation Forum on the Auditor General's PFM framework tool on September 4, 2023.
Photo OAG The MPs clarified that their primary roles involved overseeing how the funds were used rather than managing or distributing them. "This Committee has pronounced itself on these false allegations.
We do not implement CDF; the Fund Managers should be answerable in cases of irregularities." Mulyungi said. The Mwingi Central Constituency MP further explained that the actual management and distribution of funds was the role of Fund Account Managers, and as such, they should be the ones held accountable for the misuse. Other Members of Parliament echo the sentiments, saying parliamentarians had very limited roles in the day-to-day operations involving the NG-CDF. "As MPs, we audit the use of these monies by the Fund Account Managers, who are employees of the NG-CF Board," nominated MP Dorothy Muthoni said, stressing that any allegations of misappropriation should squarely fall on the shoulders of the Fund Account Managers.
