KISII,Kenya ,Jan 27- Kisii County Governor Simba Arati among Worst Spenders of Development Funds, Report finds
The Kenyan people in several counties may have elected the worst new governors in terms of financial management in the 2022 general election.
This is based on a new report by the Controller of Budget (COB), (as Reported by Taifa Leo on February 27th), which reveals that these governors are squandering funds on luxury activities while using relationship-building tactics to portray themselves as good managers, religious leaders, and agents of change in the six months they have been in office.
The report shows that no county has met the legal requirement of using 30% of its revenue for development, and nearly half of all counties have violated this requirement by 4,000%.
The report further exposes that Governor Simba Arati of Kisii is the worst when it comes to misusing funds intended to benefit the residents of Kisii.
For every shilling he requested for development projects in the county, he used Sh93 for other purposes, mainly salaries and allowances.
Since taking office on August 25, 2022, Arati has requested funds from the COB 70 times, and 60 of those were for paying salaries and other expenses such as travel allowances, charity events, and training.
Under Arati’s leadership, Kisii County requested Sh3.3 billion for expenses, but only allocated Sh35.3 million for development. The budget for expenses exceeded that for development by 3,886%.
In Meru County, Governor Bishop Kawira Mwangaza has not fulfilled her promise to use the people’s funds properly in the six months she has been in office, instead using more than 98% on salaries and allowances and leaving only 1.8% for development.
By the end of January 2023, Meru had received Sh4.6 billion to finance its budget, but only Sh70 million went towards development projects.
Lamu County received Sh1.39 billion for non-development expenses and only Sh35.8 million for development projects.
Other governors mentioned in the report for using minimal funds for development projects are Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos) and Ochilo Ayacko (Migori).
Governor Susan Kihika of Nakuru is also cited for misusing funds. For every Sh1 spent on development, Sh20.8 was spent on other activities.
The report indicates that the six counties mentioned above, whose spending on office activities and salaries exceeded development spending by more than 750%, are all led by new governors except for Issa Timamy of Lamu, who previously served between 2013 and 2017.
According to the COB report, 10 other counties also misused funds for non-development purposes in violation of the law.
These counties include Kiambu, led by Governor Kimani Wamatangi (Sh19.9 spent on development for every Sh1 spent on other activities), Kitui, led by Governor Julius Malombe (Sh19 spent on development for every Sh1 spent on other activities), and Bungoma, led by Ken Lusaka.
The report highlights the dire need for more accountability in the use of public funds, particularly by county governments.
It is essential for elected officials to prioritize development projects that will benefit their constituents, rather than squandering funds on unnecessary expenses.
The COB and other oversight bodies must also ensure that public funds are used for their intended purposes and hold accountable those who misuse them.
By promoting transparency and accountability in financial management, county governments can gain the trust of their citizens and make tangible progress towards development goals.
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