Devolution Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eugene Wamalwa on Tuesday, October 8, scolded government officials in his Ministry in an event attended by various leaders.
In an event attended by Garissa Governor Ali Korane, Wamalwa reprimanded the officials for imposing projects on locals for their own selfish gains.
Speaking in Garissa town during the launch of a project funded by the World Bank and implemented by Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (KDRDIP), the CS faulted the officials for producing questionable proposals stating that the prioritisation of projects fell on the beneficiaries.
He warned, "We are aware of these arm-twisting tactics by a few government officials. I want to caution them to keep off community projects and allow residents to decide on what projects are best for them and in what priority they should be implemented.
“Government officials should supervise and ensure that all the procedures are followed and implemented in accordance with laid down guidelines instead of taking advantage of the low literacy levels to influence the projects for their personal gains,” he stated.
On his part, Governor Ali Korane advocated for the proper utilisation of the funds for projects as the gains would help vulnerable populations.
Echoing his sentiments, Lagdera MP, Mohammed Hire stated that the money from the project should be used in community-driven projects rather than for recurrent expenditure.
“This will ensure that the projects benefit more people rather than a few individuals being placed on the payroll,” Hire stated.
The DRDIP project targets three counties, Garissa, Wajir and Turkana and seeks to improve access to basic social services, expand economic opportunities, and enhance environmental management for communities hosting refugees in the targeted areas in Kenya.
