March 9, 2025

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Official faces wrath of city MCAs over funds delay

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Nairobi County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Finance Allan Igambi was yesterday taken to task over delay in the disbursement of Sh500 million meant for the Ward Development Fund (WDF).

Appearing before the Nairobi County implementation committee chaired by Karen MCA David Mberia, Igambi was asked to explain why the money was yet to be paid out yet it had been approved in the budget.

The MCAs said the delay had hampered the implementation of projects. “We are yet to pay contractors yet this money was approved and we are wondering what became of it.

The CEC should tell us where this money is. We are only six months to the elections yet the people we represent think we are sleeping on our job,” said minority leader Michael Oganda.

He added: “The issue of the Ward Development Fund (WDF) is the elephant in the room. This current financial year no member in the 85 wards has managed to have their projects kick-off.

That is the anxiety at the assembly with the General Election just around the corner,” he said.

According to Mberia the money was supposed to be in the account by July.

“Something is not adding up, and it is high time the CEC knows that we are not operating under his mercy.
We understand that they usually get Sh1.5 billion from the exchequer on a monthly basis. Why can’t they just allocate money to us?” posed Mberia.

Ongoing wrangles But in his defense, Igambi who was accompanied by officials from the county Treasury, blamed the Controller of Budget (COB) whom he said had refused to allocate them money citing various regulations.

“We have requisitioned this money from the COB several times but they have always responded that we do not meet the regulations under Public Finance Management Act. We are still following this matter and this Friday we will write to them,” he said.

Ward Development Fund CEO Josephine Kithi said the delay in completion of ward projects was brought about by ongoing wrangles but promised to have everything in order once they have settled the disputes.

Kithi said they had already allocated Sh14 million to every ward under the fund.

Credit:PD