There are currently 67 cases related to the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NGCDF) under investigation.
This according to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission who raised concern over widespread corruption risks in the management of the fund.
Speaking during a joint workshop for NG-CDF officials from Western Kenya in Nakuru, EACC CEO Abdul Mohamud warned that misuse of devolved funds continues to erode public trust and undermine development at the grassroots level.
“As part of addressing this challenge, the Commission has taken up for investigation 67 reports relating to management of the NG-CDF which are at various stages of action within the criminal justice system,” Mohamud noted.
The CEO said the most common forms relating to the NG-CDF include conflict of interest where NG-CDF Officials award themselves contracts through proxy companies, procurement fraud, payment of kickbacks, extortion of contractors before payments for works done, money laundering, and embezzlement of public funds through payments for multiple projects, bursaries for ghost students, payments for services not rendered, ghost projects, inflated project costs, and diversion of funds.
“Among the matters under investigation is a case in which a private contractor was irregularly awarded 49 tenders and paid over Ksh 66 million from various NG-CDF Committees and NGAAF across 11 counties, in 2 financial years.” Mohamud said.
Adding that: “None of the NG-CDF Committees represented here is immune to these challenges.”
According to EACC, the workshop is timely, as it aims to equip officers with the skills and knowledge to perform your duties with greater responsibility and accountability, even as the Commission continues investigations into reported malpractices.
Further, besides investigations for prosecution purposes, the Commission has intensified focus on tracing and recovering unexplained wealth and corruptly acquired assets held by individuals.
EACC is also addressing bribery at service-delivery points through targeted intelligence probes as well as reducing the human interface, automation of processes to enhance accountability in service delivery and diminish opportunities for corrupt practices.
Similarly, the Commission is monitoring capital-intensive projects planned or implemented by both national and county governments.
It is also doing systemic review and corruption risk assessment in public entities to detect, expose, and seal loopholes that permit corruption.
EACC has urged Kenyans to embrace ongoing Government initiatives on the Instant Traffic Fine System, as well as the e-Government Procurement System, which have potential to significantly reduce bribery and extortion at service-delivery points and mitigate the adverse consequences that arise from these vices.
This even as the court has Thursday morning halted the implementation of the Instant Traffic Fine System that was rolled on Tuesday.
