County executive on the spot over unaccounted for Sh100m bursaries

The Nairobi County executive was on Wednesday taken to task over delayed bursaries.

Finance chief officer Halkano Waqo and Education executive Lucia Mulwa were accused of causing delays of both 2018 and 2019 bursaries.

The county assembly was told that at least Sh100 million was released for bursaries last year but it cannot be fully accounted for.

Dandora Four Ward representative Francis Otieno told the committee that the documents had massive discrepancies.

“Each of the 85 elected ward reps was to receive Sh3.5 million but the records state that only Sh3.2 million was released,” he said

‘‘I want Waqo to tell us if they can actually account for the Sh100 million that the Controller of Budget is raising questions about. If not, then can you tell Nairobians that you as an executive has failed?” he asked.

Waqo said he will get bank statements on the amount transferred and bring the response by the end of the week.

The MCAs warned him they will not take any more excuses.

Committee chairperson Millicent Mugadi temporarily could not control members who insisted on clear answers from the executive.

Nominated MCA Kabiro Mbugua suggested that both Waqo and Mulwa should apologise to the parents and children of Nairobi through the media.

“The suffering is on parents and the needy children of Nairobi who depend on these bursaries,” he said, adding, “It will be in order for you to address the media who are present and let Nairobians know why their bursaries have delayed because back in the estates we are being accused of 'eating' the money."

The situation turned ugly after some reps tried to block the executive from leaving the room before they apologise through the media.

The rowdy reps followed Waqo outside with one of them hitting him on the back as he walked away.

‘‘Where is our bursary?  Talk to the press.  We will remove you from the office. We want that money .. why are you people stealing bursaries?’’ the MCAs shouted.

CEC Mulwa sneaked out and locked herself in the next committee room and hid under the table until the angry MCAs left.

She was escorted by the sergeant-at-arms to the executive wing of City Hall.

Nominated MCA June Ndegwa suggested that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations should be involved in what he termed bursary scandal.

“At this point, we cannot continue asking for a response from an incompetent chief officer for Finance and CEC. We need solutions and we should invite the DCI to look into this matter,” she said.

She accused the executive of sabotage by not releasing the bursary.

Mulwa had earlier told the MCAs that the delay was due to the finance department's failure to provide documents to the Controller of Budget

“The executive has decided to treat this committee as a joke. This must stop,” Mountain View ward rep Maurice Ochieng said.

During the presentation of the 2019-2020 budget on Tuesday during just before the pronouncement of Nairobi, a section of the legislators interrupted the process shouting “Bursaries! Bursaries!

They wanted Finance CEC Charles Kerich to address the bursary issue.

A few of them walked out of the chambers as Kerich started reading the budget.

On April 2 , 2019, Governor Mike Sonko announced disbursement of Sh400 million to over 4,000 needy students in the 85 wards.

The MCAs said they were duped with empty bags supposedly containing bursary cheques.