Voi MP Chome accuses chiefs of frustrating bursary disbursement

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A row is brewing between Voi MP Abdi Chome and the national government administrative officers (NGAO) over the delay in the distribution of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) bursaries in Voi Constituency.

The MP blamed NGAO officers, especially chiefs, for failing to approve bursary application forms on time amid concerns that dozens of poor students have been sent home for lack of school fees despite the availability of CDF funds to help them further their education.

In the bursary forms, chiefs must sign the bursary application forms to facilitate the issuance of the bursary funds to bright children from poor families.

Yesterday, Chome complained to the Taita Taveta County Commissioner, Linda Okolla, that chiefs are frustrating him in the issuance of CDF bursary funds by failing to approve application forms on time.

The opposition legislator noted that parents have complained to the CDF committee that application forms have been lying at the chiefs' offices unprocessed, hence denying students, especially from humble backgrounds, from furthering their education.

“Chiefs have been misplacing bursary application forms, making it difficult for the students to get funds,” Chome protested to the county commissioner at Marasi Primary School in Maungu town yesterday.

Ms Okolla did not, however, react to the MP's concerns, as she chose to remain silent over the issue.

But multiple interviews by the Chiefs exonerated themselves from blame. The NGAO officials instead blamed the MPs' office officials for the delay in disbursing bursaries.

“The NG-CDF committee members and the MP’s workers are the ones to blame for the delay. Contrary to claims from the MP, we have been approving bursary application forms on time for the benefit of the deserving students,” said a chief in Voi Sub-County.

As the blame game intensified, the administrators told the MP to direct the blame elsewhere and not to them.

“We have been facilitating and coordinating citizens' participation in the development of policies and plans, and delivery of services. It is the office of the MP that has been sleeping on the job and not us. "Every arm of the national government should do its role well for the benefit of the local community that is yearning for quality delivery of government services, and a blame game will not help,” stated the chiefs in multiple interviews.

Yesterday, Chome said he will lodge an official complaint to the county commissioner’s office.

Meanwhile, residents want members of the county assembly (MCAs) delinked from the operation and management of the county ward equitable development funds.

Danson Mwakoma, a businessman in Voi town, told the governor that MCAs are the ones determining who should get bursaries, a task that should be undertaken by the executive.

“The process to distribute bursaries is not as transparent and accountable as the bursary kitty, which is being managed and controlled by MCAs as patrons. The MCA has abandoned their oversight and legislative roles and instead usurped the roles of the executive of implementation projects,” the businessman told the governor and his executive.

“We have tried to get the list of the bursary beneficiaries in vain. The deserving cases are being left out as the legislators are awarding bursaries to students of their political allies at the expense of bright children from poor families.

The MCAs are biased in the distribution of bursaries and should be removed,” Mwakoma told the governor.