The latest audit of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund has placed Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino under sharp scrutiny after the Auditor General flagged unexplained spending amounting to Sh59 million.
The report paints a troubling picture of financial decisions that appear to have left little or nothing to show on the ground, despite large sums being released to public schools and bursary programmes within the constituency.
According to the findings, Embakasi East disbursed Sh76,201,000 in bursaries during the year under review. This figure represented 42 per cent of the constituency’s total revenue, breaching the lawful limit that caps bursary allocations at 40 per cent.
The audit also found that the allocations were made without verification of eligibility or supporting records. The Auditor General, Nancy Gathungu, warned that such practices weaken transparency and damage public trust. She noted that the absence of proper records made it impossible to confirm whether the funds reached deserving learners or were diverted through unexplained channels.
Beyond the bursaries, the report exposed gaps in project implementation. Embakasi East transferred Sh59 million to three schools, yet none of the institutions had projects to show for the funds by the time auditors visited them in September.
Doonholm Primary School received Sh27.5 million, Maua Primary School received Sh20,826,404, and Embakasi Primary School received Sh11,323,529. Inspectors found no evidence of construction, renovation or any form of development tied to the disbursements. The audit stated that value for money could not be established and that the entire allocation now stands in doubt.
The concerns raised in Embakasi East mirror a broader pattern across several constituencies. In Makadara, auditors discovered that two primary schools had been issued Sh17.5 million for construction work that had not begun by September 2025.
No explanation was offered for the delays. The Makadara constituency office project, expected to be completed in October 2022 at a cost of Sh20 million, was still unfinished three years later despite the contractor having been paid in full.
In Rongo constituency, Sh5 million was released for the construction of a school laboratory that remained incomplete at the time of inspection. Essential final touches such as flooring, plumbing and painting had not been carried out.
The Thika Town audit raised a similar concern after an ablution block, meant to cost Sh1,712,320, was found unusable because it lacked proper water supply and sewage connection.
Taps had been vandalised, and the water tank required for the facility had never been installed.
These findings point to a recurring pattern of stalled or nonexistent projects, incomplete structures, premature payments, and weak oversight within CDF committees.
The Auditor General noted that procurement procedures were often ignored, project supervision remained inconsistent, and financial controls were far below the standards expected in public service.
In Embakasi East’s case, the unresolved Sh59 million now raises questions about accountability under Babu Owino’s leadership.
While the report does not assign personal liability, it highlights serious administrative failures within the constituency’s CDF management.
Public funds that should have improved classrooms, sanitation facilities and the learning environment for children instead show no measurable impact. With the audit now in the public domain, calls for an inquiry and stronger oversight are likely to grow.
The Auditor General has repeatedly warned that unchecked mismanagement within the CDF framework poses a risk to service delivery nationwide. Recent reports from other years show a steady rise in delayed projects, inflated budgets, unaccounted disbursements and weak procurement records in many constituencies.
In past audits, constituencies such as Kimilili, Westlands, Mathira, and Kitutu Chache South faced similar criticism over incomplete construction works, missing project files and unsupported expenditures.
As debate unfolds over the Embakasi East findings, the broader question now is whether the country will implement stronger systems to protect taxpayers’ money. The audit offers a clear record of what went wrong. What remains is the political will to act on it.
