- CSOs warn county might loose more funds allocated to youth, women and people living with disability
- Executive admits most groups which benefited had defaulted and some could not be traced
Civil society organisations want Taita Taveta's Datu Sawazisha fund investigated over claims of mismanagement.
The kitty created in 2014 provides credit to women, youths and persons living with disability.
The Star has learned that out of the Sh59 million disbursed only Sh23 million has been recovered since the fund was initiated.
CSOs chairman Ezra Mdamu asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission to find out how the fund was shared since inception and recommend suitable ways to curb corruption.
"We recommend that Datu fund implementation since inception to date be investigated by the DCI and EACC, fund management be streamlined and a fund board put in place," he lobby groups said in a statement.
Further, they want the Datu fund law reviewed to address misappropriation.
Mdamu warned the county government might lose more funds allocated to the youth, women and people living with disability.
"All government funds should be properly utilised in line with the Public Finance Management Act," he said.
County executive for Youth, Gender, Sports and Social services Bigvai Mwailemi acknowledged the fund might have been misused.
Mwailemi noted that most groups which benefited had defaulted and some could not be traced.
A total of Sh2.9 million was set aside as grants to economically boost people living with disability.
Over Sh81 million has been spent by the fund board in the last four years.