MPs warn NG-CDF managers over poor audit response

A parliamentary committee has warned National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) account managers over the continued failure to respond adequately to audit queries raised by the Auditor General.

During a session on Friday with fund managers from North Horr, Moyale, and Laisamis Constituencies, members of the Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee expressed frustration at the lack of accountability, saying it undermines transparency and responsible management of public funds.

The Committee, chaired by Gideon Mulyungi, summoned the managers to explain why they failed to provide clear and complete responses to long-standing audit concerns dating back to the 2013/2014 financial year.

The session revealed that several managers were unprepared and unfamiliar with key financial reports.

"There is extreme laxity on the part of the Managers and something has to be done. The NG-CDF Board must address the disconnect between the managers and the actual fund management on the ground," said David Mboni from Kitui Rural.

"We cannot have a manager come before us and claim the report he is reading was compiled by other people so he doesn’t understand the contents,"

Mboni called for action against underperforming officers, urging the National Assembly Clerk to formally report the failures to the NG-CDF Board.

"The Clerk of the National Assembly should write to the Board CEO to formally lodge complaints against underperforming Managers. They have to be called out on their incompetence," he said.

The committee also criticised the NG-CDF Board CEO Yusuf Mbuno for not taking firm action to ensure managers fulfill their responsibilities, despite previous warnings.

"We shall be taking action against the incompetence displayed by some of the account managers who have appeared here previously, and today," said committee chairperson Mulyungi.

"This committee may have to compel the CEO to attend every meeting with these Constituencies if this is going to be the trend."

A session chaired by Dorothy Muthoni from Meru County also highlighted serious gaps in audit comprehension.

Muthoni questioned the Moyale Constituency team for failing to address specific issues raised by the Auditor General, noting their request for more time was a sign of poor preparation.

"We have 290 Constituencies and 47 NGAAF Accounts to audit, so we cannot afford to keep calling one Constituency to appear before us repeatedly due to lack of seriousness and commitment to deliver their mandates," she said.

The Committee directed the fund managers to improve their audit responses and make timely submissions going forward.

The session focused on the Auditor General’s reports covering financial years from 2013/2014 to 2022/2023.