Has Devolution Failed? The Shocking Numbers in Theft

When Kenyans voted for the new constitution, they thought they were voting for the new dispensation, for the new change and new look of things. Within this new constitution, there was a monster that had camouflaged itself as an ambassador of development, as an angel of bring developments closer to the people; this monster was devolution.

Kenya now has a total of 47 counties led by 47 Governors, 47 Senators, 47 County Commissioners and thousands of Members of County Assembly. It is true that corruption in Kenya is as old as the country itself but the magnitude at which corruption is being practiced at the county level is appalling and devastating.

County officials are literally stealing money meant for the developments in the counties. They are stealing as though there is no tomorrow. They are actually sweating more from stealing than from working for those who elected them. But they forget one thing, Kenyans have the numbers. They may cook them as county officials to fit them and protect them from prosecution, but Kenyans remain with the true figures on the ground.

These are the appalling numbers in the hands of Kenyans as seen by Kenyans and as released by Kenyans:

In Nairobi County, it is said that county official and seven members of the county assembly went to London Marathon spent 1,077,060 shillings. That is 1.1 million shillings. Am sure you also remember the amazing grass project that consumed 50 million shillings at the time Barrack Obama, the president of United States of America was visiting Kenya.

Read: Was Devolution an Evolution of Corruption?

In Nakuru County, in a period of one year alone, Members of the County Assembly are said to have spent 79,469,971 shillings or 79.5 million shillings on both international and domestic trips while in Murang’a County, 2000 boys in that county were circumcised at a cost of 75,000 per boy spending a total of 150,000,000 shillings or 150 million shillings. Circumcision is supposed to take at least 500 shillings per person meaning the county would have spent one million shillings only. But 150 million shillings? Seriously?

In Trans-Nzioia County, it is said that a Kitale home was bought for use as a hospital at a cost of 500,000,000 shillings. That is s whole 500 million shillings. How much does it take to construct a new facility? Was it necessary for the county to spend all that cash to purchase a home?

In Nyamira County, it is said that a gate of 7,000,000 shillings, that is seven million shillings was constructed when the actual figure supposedly was 350,000 shillings. A gate at a cost of seven million shillings? What kind of a gate is that?

In Taita Taveta, in the year 2014 the county spent a total 67,000,000 shillings on seminars and hospitality while the budget for the same was 10 million shillings. And what about Baringo County? It is said that a total of 3.3 million shillings was lost in the ghost project to build a dorm at Kabimoi High School.

In Tharaka-Nithi County, 111,000,000 shillings meant for health was deposited in a health officer’s personal account. Can you imagine that? A whole 111 million shillings, public funds going into an individual’s personal account! What about Kisumu County? Do you know that MCAs in this county spent 78,000,000 shillings or 78 million shillings during the 2014/15 financial year for trips to Uganda, China, Singapore & Israel?

In Nyamira County, in the year 2013, it is said that a total of 5,000,000 shillings was paid to 33 MCAs as allowance for a Mombasa trip. This is a joke right? Five million shillings as allowances for a trip to Mombasa? Talking of Mombasa, in Mombasa County itself, a total of 500,000,000 shillings was unaccounted for last year and in Migori County, the government has spent 369,400,000 shillings on foreign trips for officials.

In Nandi County, a total of 22,000,000 shillings were irregularly paid into personal bank accounts of county officials. Mark the numbers, 22 million shillings while in Vihiga County, the officials were even more dramatic. It is said that a total of 11,300,000 shillings was used to build a toilet at a radio station that has no staff. As Kenyans die of hunger and meander on roads in search of jobs, a toilet somewhere consumed 11.3 million shillings. I feel like going to every county with a big stick and thoroughly give a beating to these corrupt county officials.

Read: Manufacturers Engage County Government on Inter-county Trade Challenges

Kilifi County is said to have used 140 million shillings to irregularly purchase the Governor’s mansion while in Meru County, last year, Meru General Hospital received new curtains at a cost of 7.8 Million shillings. Curtains costing 7.8 million shillings. Were they bulletproof?  And the people of Siaya County have lost 4,230,000 shillings in fictitious payments in the last few months.

These are just few counties hoping you still remember the famous casino-genic wheelbarrows in Bungoma County. Ten wheelbarrows were bought at a cost 109 thousand shillings each.

Has devolution failed Kenyans? I think our jails should have been full by now but what has happened? Nothing. It is like those who still public funds in Kenya are immune to prosecution. Something needs to be done.