fadhili

SHELTER FORUM
The Voice of the people on Shelter For people centered development Promoting Social Responsibility

PRESS RELEASE
Westlands Constituency Devolved Funds:
Urgent Action Needed to Curb misuse of public Funds

NAIROBI, Sept. 23rd, 2010—There is an urgent need for the harmonization of the
implementation of devolved funds in Westland’s Constituency to minimize duplication and
double accounting.
An audit by The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA); Shelter Forum and Ufadhili Trust of
the three devolved funds in the Constituency has revealed that Westlands has no strategic plan
or coordinated implementation of projects while members of the community are excluded in
the planning and execution of projects, contrary to the rules that govern devolved funds in the
country.
“There is lack of coordinated planning amongst the two funds studied: Constituency Development
Fund (CDF) and Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF). All projects funded in Westlands
constituency were done independently without consulting other existing financing agencies,
contrary to Government regulations” according to the report launched today.
The Report established that accountability mechanisms in the running of the funds are seriously
lacking and transparency boards listing the amounts, contractors, and years of funding and
duration of the projects for CDF projects in Westlands constituency were missing, which
compromised proper running of the funds.
“It appears there were no records in the constituency as there is no mention whatsoever of
records accessed at the project sites or the CDFC. Moreover, there were no records accessed for
any CDF project visited. It was thus difficult to ascertain how the funds allocated were utilized”
the report reads.
“Lack of transparency and accountability, low citizen involvement has created a fertile ground
on which corrupt individuals will thrive on. It still remains difficult for the constituents to
access vital records and information on the progress of initiated projects in the constituency”
the report adds.
The study calls for a technical and financial audit of all CDF projects in Westlands constituency
by officers from the Ministry of Public works and the auditor general should to ascertain the
amount of financial resources utilized in implementation of these projects.
It recommends that punitive measures be taken on the officials and contractors responsible for

Sore Road, South B. P.O. Box 9202,
00100 Nairobi Kenya. Tel: +254-020-
2608560; Email: shelter@shelterforum.
or.ke www.shelterforum.or.ke
The Institute for Social Accountability
Number 1, Wendy Court, David Osieli
Road, off Waiyaki Way
P.O. Box 48353 – 00100 Nairobi
info@tisa.or.ke www.tisa.or.ke
Rattansi Educational Trust Building,
1st Flr. Koinange St. P.O. 14041,
00100 Nairobi Kenya Tel: +254-020-
343061/2; +254-720366195 Fax:+254-
020-343067 ufadhilitrust@ufadhilitrust.
org www.ufadhilitrust.org
Dam toilet, Kibagare toilets, rehabilitation of Thiongo road phase II and Mau Mau police Post
and monies so far channeled to these aforementioned projects must be recovered.
Additionally, it recommends that procurement records on projects implemented under these
devolved funds be opened up to public scrutiny the current practice where. At only a few officers
in the council are privy to their details has allowed rampant corruption.

Section 28 of the Amended CDF Act 2007 provides that the Board will submit monthly reports to
Parliament on the status of approved projects and their status and a summary of disbursements
to the constituencies. The Board is not updating this information onto the website demonstrating
that it is either deliberately withholding information or not generating the needed information
and is therefore in breach of the law.

Background

The Nairobi Social Audit campaign was jointly undertaken by The Institute for Social
Accountability [TISA], Shelter Forum and Ufadhili Trust. The campaign targeted three
decentralized funds: The Constituency Development Fund [CDF], The Local Authority Transfer
Fund [LATF] and The Economic Stimulus Programme [ESP].

The validation forum is part of the Nairobi-Kisumu social audit campaign which
targeted three decentralized funds: Constituency Development Fund [CDF], Local Authority
Transfer Fund [LATF] and Economic Stimulus Programme [ESP].

The validation forum aims at getting feedback from constituents, duty bearers and other actors
in the constituency and verifying the findings of the report.

A social audit is a process that seeks to evaluate how well public resources are being used to
meet the real needs of target beneficiaries. If well implemented the social audit is an important
tool to enable local communities influence local development outcomes.

The Nairobi-Kisumu Social Audit Campaign aimed at: Creating awareness of local governance
institutions, identifying resources and opportunities for citizen engagement through social
audits and the Utilization of the social audit findings to lobby for reforms.

Since June 2010, with the help of stakeholders, the Kasarani Constituency social audit team
visited a total of 14 projects out of which 11 were CDF and 3 were LATF/LASDAP. Vital information
about the utilization and management of financial resources allocated to these projects was
collected and compiled into a preliminary report.

////THE END////

Media Contact: Dorah Nesoba

Telephone: +254 020 444 3676;
Email: dorah.nesoba@tisa.or.ke or
info@tisa.or.ke

www.tisa.or.ke

Sore Road, South B. P.O. Box 9202,
00100 Nairobi Kenya. Tel: +254-020-
2608560; Email: shelter@shelterforum.
or.ke www.shelterforum.or.ke
The Institute for Social Accountability
Number 1, Wendy Court, David Osieli
Road, off Waiyaki Way
P.O. Box 48353 – 00100 Nairobi
info@tisa.or.ke www.tisa.or.ke
Rattansi Educational Trust Building,
1st Flr. Koinange St. P.O. 14041,
00100 Nairobi Kenya Tel: +254-020-
343061/2; +254-720366195 Fax:+254-
020-343067 ufadhilitrust@ufadhilitrust.
org www.ufadhilitrust.org