A section of youths from Balambala Constituency, Garissa County have called on investigative agencies to take corruption allegations in the constituency allegedly perpetuated by the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) kitty.
The Danyere Youth Group, under stewardship of Mr Ismail Bilal, development funds for Balambala constituency have been siphoned through ghost projects.
“We are asking for action to be taken against Balambala Member of Parliament (MP) and his NG-CDF Committee over blatant corruption. We have ghost project in the constituency paid for and not done,” Mr Bilal said.
He cited construction of an 80-bed capacity dormitory at Danyere Secondary school funds. in the 2021/2022 financial year and water piping in the area as major projects used to siphoned public
“The financial documents for 2021/2022 indicate that our area MP, Abdi Omar Shurie, through NG-CDF, claimed to have constructed an 80-bed dormitory at Danyere Secondary School for Sh5 million, stating it is completed and in use. However, no such dormitory exists at the school,” he said.
He added, “The MP claims to have constructed a four-door pit latrine for Sh700,000 and to have purchased 80 double-decker steel beds and 160 mattresses for Sh1.8 million for the same school but there is nothing”.
The NG-CDF committee is also accused of squandering atleast Sh750,000 on purchase of 120 lockers and chairs, items that never reached the said school.
According to the youths, Balambala NG-CDF claimed to have constructed a one kilometer water piping system at a cost of Sh1 million but the residents remain thirsty.
“There is nothing like water piping system in that part of the world. Public funds were allocated but looted in a well-schemed manner involving institutional leaders in the constituency,” Mr Bilal said.
It is reported that another Sh200,000 were lost through purchasing two 5000-litre water capacity tanks for Dogob Primary School.
“These are all clear lies, as he has not provided or constructed any of the above items he claims. These are just a few examples of the public money looting he has committed. We want an action taken against the MP and his NG-CDF board,” he said.
According to the group, funds channeled through Danyere Secondary School account and were withdrawn in collaboration of NG-CDF committee and school board members.
The group has since raised the matter with EACC, AOG and NG-CDF board but are yet to get a response.
When reached, EACC North Eastern Regional Coordinator Robert Kanyi confirmed receiving a complaint from the residents.
“That Balambala constituency issue is with us and investigations are ongoing. It is about development projects at Danyare Secondary School initiated by the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF),” Mr Kanyi said.
When reached, Mr Bishar Hussein, Chairman NG-CDF Balambala dismissed the claims by the youth group terming them baseless.
“We started Danyere Secondary school in 2018 with construction of three classrooms and later did another two,” he said.
Mr Hussein said the school has a well completed and equipped dormitory built in 2022 and currently in use.
“We have the dormitory complete in school, we are currently drilling a borehole in the same school that is about to be completed. What this group is doing is simply playing politics but that will not stop us from delivering on our pledges,” he said.
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