Dj Vnyash
Members of the Meru County Assembly (MCAs) have raised concerns with the Controller of Budget for approving funds for non-existent projects and ranking Governor Kawira Mwangaza among the best-performing governors. During a visit to Marimba Primary School, the MCAs criticized recent reports and polls that placed Mwangaza among the top governors, claiming these rankings were misleading.
The MCAs highlighted the case of the Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) section at Marimba Primary School, which was reported as completed and operational. However, during their visit, they found no evidence of the project. “Governor Kawira Mwangaza is deceiving the public by reporting that this project is finished and paid for,” one MCA remarked.
The chair of the County Assembly’s education committee revealed that the local MCA had allocated Ksh 1.2 million for the classroom’s construction, but there was no progress to show. He expressed concerns that the Controller of Budget might be receiving false information, which led to the governor being ranked second in revenue allocation despite the lack of actual projects.
The MCAs also pointed out that many of the 777 schools in the county were in a similar state, and they planned to summon the chief officer of education to account for the funds. Another MCA added that, while the Controller of Budget ranked Mwangaza fourth, he believed the office was misled by falsified documentation suggesting that project funds were properly spent.
To prevent this from continuing, the MCAs announced plans to visit all of Mwangaza’s projects to ensure none were incomplete or falsely reported as paid for.
Earlier this year, the Senate upheld the MCA’s decision to impeach Mwangaza, after a second attempt. However, the governor challenged the decision in the High Court and was granted a temporary reprieve on August 21. Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued a ruling suspending the Senate’s decision, ordering that the governor’s removal be delayed until the case is fully heard.
Silverio Omari
