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CDF woes seem unending as legislators are heckled
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- Published on Monday, 04 June 2007 04:05
Energy minister Mr Henry Obwocha was harassed by his constituents during a public rally in Nyamira.
Obwocha had a rough time accounting for his development record, when his constituents shouted back in disapproval as he attempted to cite projects he had initiated.
The minister had told the meeting at Nyamira Primary School playground that an electricity programme had kicked off in the constituency, but the audience roared back saying "no" in unison.
He, however, pleaded with the crowd that they will have power to judge him at the end of his term. Obwocha found himself in trouble when he told youth in the area that they would receive part of CDF after working on assigned road project.
"We will assign you to two rural roads to work on as a group before we give you CDF money," Obwocha said, as the crowd heckled him.
During the meeting Kanu national organising secretary Mr Manson Nyamweya defected to Ford-People. He announced his intension to run against ODM-Kenya’s treasurer Mr Omingo Magara for the South Mugirango parliamentary seat.
Roads minister Mr Simeon Nyachae said his ministry was working out on a programme, which would revive local roads.
"Under the new programme we intend to hire 20,000 youth in each district as part of the Government’s plans to employ youth," Nyachae said.
Elsewhere, a Member of Parliament and a District Officer clashed in public over alleged corruption in the management of a Constituency Development Fund kitty in Bureti District.
Konoin MP Mr Sammy Koech and Mr Kaburu Khaemba traded accusations at a meeting at Mogogosiek Social Hall on Friday.
The meeting, attended by former MP Mr Raphael Kitur and Mr Richard Bett among others, was characterised by name-calling and walkouts. Trouble started when Koech demanded that the administrator explains "under the table dealings" in the administration of the CDF.
Khaemba enumerated several cases to back up his claim before the stunned leaders, heads of Government departments and the public. He challenged the MP to defend himself.
The public heckled Koech as he sought to exonerate the committee from corruption allegations.
"Can the MP deny the fact that the CDF committee members are corrupt and that public money has been embezzled?" Khaemba demanded amid cheers.
Khaemba stated that in the past four months, he had been compiling a detailed dossier on corruption in the administration of the funds, and that its findings would soon be made public.
"Tendering is shrouded in secrecy and there are no minutes of the committee’s deliberations," Khaemba added.
"No money has been embezzled as claimed, the allegations are baseless. It is meant to finish me politically," Koech claimed.
The MP dared the administrator to arrest and prosecute committee members alleged to be corrupt.
"If any member is guilty of corruption, let him be arrested and prosecuted," Koech said.
