BUNGE LA HAKI, USAWA NA MAENDELEO KAKAMEGA COUNTY P.O. BOX 710 – 50102 Cell Phone: 0722684842/0723069365 Email:bungelahakiusawanamaendeleo@ gmail MUMIAS 29th September 2014 THE GOVERNOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF KAKAMEGA P.O. BOX 36-50100 KAKAMEGA Dear Sir, RE: PROTEST LETTER TO H. E. THE GOVERNOR KAKAMEGA COUNTY Bunge la Haki Usawa na Maendeleo (BHUM) is a civil society affiliated to the National Civil Society congress (NCSC) . BHUM operates within Kakamega County and has representation from all the twelve constituencies. Our head office is in Mumias town on survival tower building. OUR OBJECTIVES 1. To constructively engage national and county government on matters of programs, policies and development where public funds are involved. 2. Organizing civic education on devolution. 3. Oversight on public finance spending. 4. To balance in the roles and obligation of county government and non-state actors in decision making process to promote shared responsibility and partnership and to provide complimentary authority and oversight. We and residents of Kakamega at large are dismayed at the way our county government has been using public funds. Most expenditure incurred by the county lack accountability leading to corruption. There is a lot of secrecy in all county undertakings. No information is available for the public contrary to Article 35 of the constitution. Our areas of concern are: - Lack of public participation and accountability in financial matters as enshrined in the Constitution Article 201 (a). - Misuse of public funds on travels and sitting allowance as sited by the auditor general 2013/2014 audit report. - Flawed procurement process. - Nepotism, favouritism and lack of regional balance in appointments and award of tenders in the county against the principles of leadership and integrity as outlined in chapter six of the constitution. - Most contracts are either being undertaken by the Executives or the MCA ’s. The office of the governor is accused of associating itself in the public domain and in the running of affairs of the county in a manner that raises instances of conflict of interests and comprise in favour of personal interests. Both the executive and the MCA’s have been using close relatives and proxy companies to award themselves tenders unprocedurally in violation of the public procurement regulations. - We take issue with our MCA’s who are supposed to play the oversight role but have terribly failed and instead turned themselves into implementers. - We take issue with inflated BQs designed to siphon public funds e.g. - Construction of two doors, pit latrine at a cost of 1M. - Construction of a classroom at a cost of 2M. - Wastage of public funds,e.g: - Hiring of vehicles at inflated rates of Kshs. 15,000 per vehicle per day for six vehicles which costs a whooping of Kshs 90,000 per day which translates to 32 Million per year. - Contracting cleaning services and yet we have the cleaning staffs who haven’t been retrenched. - The construction of a perimeter wall around the county office is viewed not as a priority and thus a waste of public funds. - Hire of ambulances at a cost of Ksh. 600,000 per month, per ambulance x 12 ambulances = Kshs 7.2 million per month translating to a whooping Kshs 86 Million per year. - Hire of non existence office space for MCAS at a cost of ksh. 60,000 per MCA per month. - Non existing MCA office equipment at a cost of Ksh.200,000. - Where about of Monies allocated to projects 2013-2014 and yet to take off or not being felt by Wanainchi e.g. - Mumias modern market 20 million allocated so far no activity. - Mumias-Musanda road allocated 700 million to be tarmaked so far no activity. - Acquisition of land for the establishment of concrete poles factory - Tea factory in Shinyalu - Maize milling plant in Lugari - Milk processing plant in Lurambi - The ambitious Afya ya Mama na Mtoto programme - A veterinary services at a cost of 2M - Livestock vaccination at a cost of 18M - Distribution of medical supplies valued at 135M from KEMSA to our health facilities - Infrastructural improvement and purchase of medical equipment at a cost of Kshs 145M for 12 level four and five hospitals - The upgrade of Bukhungu Stadium at a cost of Kshs 800,000 - Basic and low cost housing among widows and elderly at a cost of 50M. - 200M for social assistance programme - SME loans policy at a cost of 11M - Installation of street lighting in Mumias, Malava, Lumakanda, Butere, Matunda and Khayega. - Shoddy county projects. Our monitoring and evaluation team conducted a survey on sampled projects and realized that: - Most of our roads done by the county government are in terrible and pathetic conditions. - Springs rehabilitated are not cost effective as they are done poorly and unprofessionally leading to wastage of public funds. - Despite the fact that a lot of funds were invested on the county website, very little information is available on their site. We also learned that the county lacks monitoring and evaluation team thus giving leeway to contractors to do shoddy jobs and siphon public funds. It’s sad to note that: - Kakamega County has deliberately locked the public from knowing how much they generate locally. What they do acknowledge in their budgets is usually lower than the actual receipts for the financial year. By doing this they have managed to remove their internally generated revenues from the County financial budget debates. - The financial bill has been passed without public participation leading to exorbitant and unreasonable levies being charged on poor traders contrary to Article 201(a) and 196 of the constitution - It is common knowledge that counties including Kakamega dismissed the Controller of budget reports, have no respect for Transitional Authority (TA) and have knowingly refused advice from the TA. We the residents have decided to play the oversight role and therefore feel that the County Government has become cash cows to siphon public funds thus leaving common citizens in abject poverty. Article 174 (a) states that the objects of devolution are to promote democratic and accountable exercise of power which the county government has failed to enhance. The county government has not effectively accounted for what it received from the national revenue allocation. Sir, it is sad to note that our County is 2nd poorest county in the whole republic of Kenya. But on the flipside it is the 4th biggest beneficiary of the national revenue allocation. The objects of devolution as provided in article 174 (a&d) promotes democratic and accountable exercise of power to the people and also enhance the participation of the people in the exercise of the powers of the state and in making decisions affecting them. It also recognizes the right of communities to manage their own affairs. Under article 201 (d) provides that public money shall be used in a prudent and responsible way. The County Government Act 2012 stipulates the functions and responsibilities of a county governor. Article 30 (3) Sub section (a) (c) (f) and (g) provides that the governor shall:- - Provide leadership in the County’s governance and development - Promote democracy, good governance, unity and cohesion within the county - Be accountable for the management and use of the county resources - Promote and facilitate citizen participation in the development of policies and plans Article 192 of the constitution mandates the president to suspend a county:- 1. In an emergency arising out of internal conflict or war 2. In any other exceptional circumstances Sir, we have raised various issues with your county officers both in writing, verbal and site visits but no positive response has been realized. We therefore feel that your office is competent enough to move with speed and address issues raised promptly to save the county from eminent collapse due to corruption and lack of proper systems. Attached find copies of our communications to various offices. Musa Ekaya SECRETARY CC: The Senate Senator Kakamega County County Commissioner Kakamega County Speaker, Kakamega County Assembly Ethics and Anticorruption Commission Kisumu Office
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 04:18:41 +0000
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