Members of Parliament have dismissed a report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu that links them to financial mismanagement in the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) for the 2023/2024 fiscal year. Speaking on behalf of the Decentralised Funds Accounts Committee on July 29, Committee Chair Gideon Mulyungi said the claims were misleading and unfairly targeted MPs who are not involved in managing the funds.
“We do not implement NG-CDF projects. That responsibility lies with the fund account managers,” Mulyungi stated. “They should be held accountable for any irregularities, not MPs.”
The Auditor General’s report had raised concerns over how the funds were handled in some constituencies, drawing attention to what it described as “systemic weaknesses and questionable expenditures.” However, MPs now argue the report and its coverage in the media wrongly attributes blame to lawmakers.
Webuye East MP Martin Wanyonyi questioned the accuracy of the information being provided to the press. “The reports in the media are maligning MPs’ names, alleging loss of funds that we are not even in charge of. The Auditor General should give credible information to the press,” MP Wanyonyi said.
Bobasi MP Innocent Obiri echoed that view, saying, “For the media to consistently report on this matter implicating MPs while the actual perpetrators are the Fund Account Managers either points to ignorance on their part or misinformation from the Auditors.”
According to the MPs, their role is strictly supervisory. They emphasized that fund account managers, who are appointed under the NG-CDF Board, are the ones responsible for managing procurement, payments, and overall project execution.
Dorothy Muthoni, a committee member, said the audits MPs carry out focus on ensuring public funds are used properly and that fund managers adhere to financial guidelines. “We audit the use of these monies by the Fund Account Managers. Any misappropriation squarely falls on their shoulders, not MPs,” she said.
The Committee has now called for a formal meeting with the Office of the Auditor General. The goal, they said, is to resolve the dispute and agree on how future reports can better reflect the legal structure and implementation roles within the fund system.
The NG-CDF was established to support grassroots development projects. While MPs oversee the allocation of funds and set project priorities in their constituencies, the actual management and financial execution is legally assigned to fund account managers, not lawmakers themselves.
The Committee said it remains committed to transparency and called on all stakeholders, including the media, to base their reporting on verified structures and responsibilities.
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