Embakasi Central MP MejjaDonk Implicated in Major CDF Scandal

Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru, known as MejjaDonk, faces serious allegations of mismanaging the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).

An auditor general’s report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, uncovers significant financial discrepancies, including under-expenditure, misclassified expenses, undocumented payments, stale cheques, and unverified assets.

The report raises grave concerns about the transparency and accountability of fund management under MejjaDonk’s leadership, calling for an urgent and thorough investigation.

MP MejjaDonk Caught in Major CDF Theft

In a recent shocking revelation, the Auditor-General’s report has highlighted serious discrepancies in the management of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) under Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru, commonly known as MejjaDonk.

This report has raised significant concerns about the allocation and expenditure of funds, pointing to potential misuse and mismanagement.

The audit, which covers the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, exposes alarming issues. The report indicates that while the budget was set at Ksh 187,943,507, the actual expenditure amounted to Ksh 180,280,006.

This resulted in an under-expenditure of Ksh 7,663,501, representing 10% of the budget.

Such a discrepancy calls for a deeper investigation into why the allocated funds were not fully utilized and how the remaining funds were managed.

MejjaDonk’s Political Landscape

MejjaDonk secured his seat in the 2022 general election, garnering 48,277 votes on a United Democratic Alliance ticket, defeating his closest rival, Samuel Ng’ang’a of the Jubilee party, who received 29,375 votes.

Embakasi Central, one of Nairobi’s 17 constituencies, comprises five wards: Kayole North, Kayole Central, Kayole South, Komarock, and Matopeni/Spring Valley.

Uncovering Financial Irregularities

The audit report has uncovered several financial irregularities that paint a grim picture of the NG-CDF’s management under MejjaDonk’s leadership.

These include issues related to asset acquisition, documentation, bank reconciliation, emergency projects, and bursary expenditures.

Asset Acquisition and Expenditures

One of the glaring issues is the recording of an asset acquisition amounting to Ksh 249,794.

Additionally, Ksh 360,000 meant for staff allowances was incorrectly charged to the “use of goods and services” category.

Such misclassification raises questions about the accuracy and transparency of the financial records.

Documentation and Contracts

The report also reveals expenditures totaling Ksh 10,948,956 for goods and services, including Ksh 469,500 without supporting payment vouchers.

Moreover, there were compensations amounting to Ksh 4,032,645 for employees who lacked employment contracts and recruitment details.

This lack of documentation suggests a potential for misuse of funds and raises questions about the hiring process within the NG-CDF office.

Bank Reconciliation Issues

Bank reconciliation issues are another major concern. Unpresented cheques totaled Ksh 7,966,308, with Ksh 4,402,047 dating between June 2019 and December 2021 marked as stale.

Among these were bursary payments worth Ksh 2,755,000, casting doubt on whether these funds were actually issued to students.

This raises serious concerns about the vetting process for bursary allocations and the overall management of these funds.

Emergency Projects

The management of emergency projects also came under scrutiny. An allocation of Ksh 9,600,790 was made for emergency projects, but the approved project code list only showed an allocation of Ksh 7,192,207.

This led to an unexplained over-expenditure of Ksh 2,408,583. Additionally, documentation for these emergency activities was missing, raising further concerns about the transparency and accountability of these funds.

Fixed Assets

The audit revealed discrepancies in the fixed asset register, which showed a historical cost of Ksh 91,152,437, including land valued at Ksh 58,000,000.

However, ownership documents for the land were not provided, casting doubt on the accuracy and ownership of this asset.

The lack of proper documentation for such significant assets raises serious questions about the integrity of the asset management process.

Bursary Expenditure

Bursary expenditure was another area of concern. Ksh 55,288,800 was allocated for bursaries, but the management failed to establish a subcommittee for education bursaries, mock examinations, and continuous assessment tests.

This failure indicates a lack of proper oversight and management of the bursary funds, which are crucial for supporting the education of needy students in the constituency.

The Need for Accountability

The revelations from the Auditor-General’s report call for immediate action and accountability.

The discrepancies and irregularities highlighted in the report suggest a potential misuse of public funds, which could have far-reaching implications for the constituents of Embakasi Central.

In conclusion, the NG-CDF scandal in Embakasi Central under MP MejjaDonk is a clear indication of the need for stronger oversight and accountability mechanisms in the management of public funds.