Kakamega
By Collins Matubwi and Wilson Abiri
Since the introduction of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), it breathed life to Members of Parliament since they were able to use the funds to implement some of the election promises they made to their electorate.
The MPs get a total of Sh110million every financial year and some of the projects they focus on is education, security and infrastructure development. This funds are sometimes used well while others have embezzled it.
The MPs get a total of Sh110million every financial year and some of the projects they focus on is education, security and infrastructure development. This funds are sometimes used well while others have embezzled it.
According to a research that was commissioned by the County Splash, an online news in Kakamega County between March 13 – April 05 this year, rating the performance of area legislators based on their utilization of the NG-CDF funds.
Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali was ranked the best MP in terms of development at 84 per cent followed by Malava MP Malulu Injendi at 79 per cent.
Lurambi MP Bishop Titus Khamala was third at 78 percent in the utilization of NG-CDF funds allocated to the constituency while Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali was fourth at 76 per cent since his development record has been on the upward trend ever since he became an MP. Khwisero MP Christopher Aseka was ranked the fifth with 75 per cent while Lugari MP Ayub Savula was sixth with 73 per cent. Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe was ranked at position seven with 70 per cent.
Butere MP Tindi Mwale was ranked position eight in the county with a utilization of 68 per cent of the NG-CDF funds, Justus Murunga of Matungu at position nine having utilized 65 per cent of the allocated kitty on development whereas Enock Kibunguchy of Likuyani came 10th position with 64 per cent.
Mumias West MP Johnson Naicca was rated at the eleventh position at 62 per cent and Shinyalu MP Kizito Mugalia was twelfth having spent his kitty by 61 per cent on development.
Analysis
According to the survey, Benjamin Washiali, a three term MP has spent a big chunk of the money allocated to him in the education sector where the projects have been equally distributed in the three wards of the constituency namely Lubinu-Lusheya, East Wanga and Isongo-Malaha-Makunga. Since he came into office, he has started 21 primary schools, five secondary schools, two polytechnics and an ultra-modern medical training college. He was also instrumental in the construction of Wanga Technical Training Institute.
Washiali is also famed with rewarding top performing schools as well as teachers through the purchase of school buses annually using the NG_CDF kitty. He also started a modern dairy farm in the constituency that has given over 50 direct and over 100 indirect jobs to the locals.
His development was also rated to his close association with the government like the tarmacking of some of the roads in his area. However Washiali’s success is also based on the fact that Mumias East is the smallest constituency in the county and the expansion of some of the roads were done by Mumias Sugar Company.
For Malulu Injendi the Malava MP, is serving his second term, a big chunk of his allocation was channeled to the education sector in terms of infrastructural development, scholarships and bursary allocation to needy and vulnerable students who are bright.
He has been instrumental in starting new primary and secondary schools, polytechnics, construction of dormitories, dining halls, new classes as well as purchase of school buses to schools in the constituency and this has gone a long way in improving the education standards in Malava as well as championing the rights of sugarcane farmers in the area which is their main economic activity. He has opened up the road network in the area as well as ensuring that most families access to electricity during the last mile project.
Injendi’s close relationship with his electorate is what helped him to be re-elected in the last polls despite being a Jubilee party candidate.
For Bishop Khamala, the Lurambi MP who was ranked at the third position is a first time MP and has had a kick start of his political career. Mr. Khamala in the last three years has initiated construction of six ultra-modern classes (storey buildings) at a cost of Sh14million each in each of the six wards of the constituency. They are Ikonyero, Mahiakalo, Emusala, Lurambi, Maraba, Matende, Eshiandukusi,Mwangaza and Ebuhai primary schools.
This is in addition to construction of new classes to over ten schools in the constituency.
He has also started three new schools namely St Titus Emasera, Elukho and Eshiandukusi secondary schools respectively as well as construction of a police station at Bukura with police residence as well as chief’s offices and the expansion of the road network in Lurambi.
Khamala’s major undoing is his failure to open up the slams of Kakamega town namely Majengo, Makaburini and Masingo and his political inconsistency.
Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali is the face development in the constituency. Through the CDF kitty, Shinali has managed to open up to 90 per cent of the road network in the area, construction of new model schools as well as purchase of school buses.
Infact Bishop Khamala and Mr. Wangwe adopted his style of constructing modern classes to accommodate many students despite having no space for expansion. He has also started new polytechnics as well as improving the existing ones.
For Khwisero MP, Aseka who is serving his first term has started many projects in the area. Aseka has invested heavily in opening up the road network and improvement of infrastructure in schools across the four wards of the constituency.
Construction of hostels at Malindi girls, a Laboratory at St Dennis Munjiti secondary school, an administration block at Mwihila boys, a dormitory at Shibinga secondary amongst others and also starting lunch programs for all public primary schools in the area and giving scholarships to students in day secondary schools.
Aseka’s major undoing is in the skewed employment of the CDF staff, failure to complete the construction of Khwisero stadium, a project that was started by his predecessor and his poor relationship with the County Government of Kakamega. He is said to be too conservative.
Ayub Savula of Lugari is also serving his second term has initiated the construction of several schools, polytechnics, a Teachers Training College, a satellite university, a Medical Training College and giving bursary and scholarships to needy students thus raising the education standards in the constituency. Lugari faces a notable challenge in roads network due to lack of maintenance. His gubernatorial bid has detached him from his constituency responsibilities.
Emmanuel Wangwe, the Navakholo MP has started mega academic projects by initiating construction of an 8-classroom story buildings in each of the 5 wards in the constituency.
Wangwe has also seen construction of a Technical Training College and a Medical school in the constituency in addition to bursary disbursement. However, his constituency has bad roads that are impassable during rainy seasons.
He has also purchased 5 school buses for each of the wards in Ematia, Shinoi, Navakholo, Sidikho and Musaga secondary schools.
Wangwe has also seen construction of a Technical Training College and a Medical school in the constituency in addition to bursary disbursement. However, his constituency has bad roads that are impassable during rainy seasons.
Tindi Mwale of Butere has not done much given that most of the projects in existence were done by the former MPs Wycliffe Oparanya (now Governor) and partly Andrew Toboso. However, he has helped in completion of the projects initiated by his predecessors and majored in maintenance of roads and school infrastructure. Tindi’s undoing is skewed bursary allocation.
Justus Murunga of Matungu has focused his efforts in the education sector. He gives scholarships to needy and bright students who have scored between 350 and above to join secondary schools of their own choice. He has started new schools such as Mwira Girls,Lung’anyiro School for the Deaf and another one in Namamali ward ward as well as expansion of the road network.
Mumias West MP Johnson Naicca has also invested heavily in the education sector, expansion of the road network in the area, installation of floodlights.Naiccas setbacks include inequality in tendering, bursary allocation and skewed employment of the CDF staff.
Shinyalu’s Kizito Mugali has also invested heavily in the education sector. This year alone, he spent Sh25million to sponsor students from needy and vulnerable families all aimed at improving the education standards in the area that had gone down.
Given that he was not in the last parliament, he was forced to start afresh and now has initiated development of infrastructure in schools and expand the road network. He has an uphill task in developing the area as majority of his constituents are poor.
Ends
