A concerned resident from Karachuonyo, Homa Bay County, has called for a prompt and thorough investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds earmarked for road improvements. Samson Nyakoe has formally lodged a complaint with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), citing budget allocations for several roads across three wards: North Ward, Wang’chieng’, and Kanyaluo.
According to Nyakoe, North Ward received a total of 12 million shillings in the 2022/23 financial year for various road improvements.
He provided detailed excerpts from public records maintained by Homa Bay County outlining specific allocations for roads. Nyakoe’s petition to the EACC mentions that Wagwe-Kagai-Kibaga-Ramogi-Otero market was allocated 3 million shillings for opening and murraming.
Additionally, Alos-Koboo-Lwasi and Kajigo-Othuon-Kodondi-Kagoga-Kosawa each received 2.5 million shillings for grading and murraming. Furthermore, Pala-Soko-Nyamila-Ondeto was allocated 4 million shillings for opening, murraming, and culverting.
Similarly, funds were allocated to the Rakwaro-Mamba-Lida road in Wang’chieng’ Ward and the Wimagak Sare road in Kanyaluo Ward.
Marked complete
Details were also provided for other roads in the county including Gem West and Kagan in Rangwe Constituency which also received Sh12 million each.
Nyakoe claims that although documents show that these roads are constructed and marked “complete”, none of them have been worked on.
“As we come to the end of the financial year, let it be understood that the said funds were disbursed as per documents within our possession in the last fiscal year, but no work done. It is utterly immoral to move into a new financial year and allocate new funds for roads that were earmarked for improvement in the last budget and not done” he stated.
Nyakoe, representing Karachuonyo residents, is urging the relevant committees in Homa Bay County to enforce accountability at the grassroots level and hold responsible individuals accountable.
He has pledged that residents will persistently pursue this matter until action is taken and the files are handed over to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for prosecution, as mandated by the Kenyan Constitution.
These allegations and calls for transparency underscore broader concerns about accountability and transparency in public offices across the country. Kenyans are increasingly demanding effective management of funds, from President William Ruto’s office to local county administrations.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya, which has faced scrutiny for corruption in public offices, loses approximately 608 billion shillings annually, equivalent to 7.8% of its gross domestic product (GDP), due to corruption.
