Members of the Meru County Assembly have criticised the Controller of Budget for approving funds for incomplete projects while ranking impeached Governor Kawira Mwangaza among the top-performing governors in the country.
During an inspection at Marimba Primary School, the MCAs questioned the credibility of the poll that ranked Mwangaza highly. They cited the Early Childhood Development and Education project at the school, which was listed as complete, yet no progress was visible on the ground.
One MCA alleged that the former governor was deceiving the public by reporting the project as fully constructed and paid for. The chairperson of the County Assembly’s education committee disclosed that 1.2 million shillings had been allocated for the classroom, but there was no physical structure to show for the expenditure. He accused the Controller of Budget of favouring Mwangaza despite the absence of tangible development projects.
The chairperson added that many of the 777 schools in the county were in a similar state of disrepair or incomplete development. The MCAs vowed to summon the education chief officer to provide an explanation of how the allocated funds had been spent. Another MCA suggested that the Controller of Budget had been misled by fabricated documentation, which likely contributed to the high ranking given to Mwangaza in the poll.
The MCAs resolved to inspect all projects undertaken during Mwangaza’s administration to verify their status and ensure no incomplete developments were marked as finished. Earlier this year, the Senate upheld Mwangaza’s impeachment following repeated attempts by the County Assembly.
Despite Deputy Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia being lined up to take over the office, Mwangaza sought legal intervention through the High Court. The court issued temporary orders allowing her to remain in office pending the hearing and determination of her case.
The MCAs maintained their commitment to ensuring accountability for all public funds allocated to development projects in the county.
