Mandera County Expenditure Under Fire: Mismanagement and Extravagance Amidst Poverty
In a recent exposé, activist Boniface Mwangi laid bare the stark realities of government mismanagement and corruption in Mandera County, highlighting the vast economic disparities and misuse of public funds. The revelations have sparked outrage, shedding light on how the county’s resources are being diverted to benefit a select few, while the majority languish in poverty.
Mandera County’s budget for the 2022/2023 fiscal year was KSH 11.4 billion. However, the county’s internal revenue generation was a mere 2% of this figure, approximately KSH 200 million. This starkly contrasts with the average annual income of a Mandera resident, which stands at KSH 67,518. The Governor of Mandera, on the other hand, earns a basic annual salary of KSH 12 million, a staggering 177 times higher than the average resident’s income.
A glaring example of this disparity is the KSH 285 million mansion built for the Governor, reminiscent of the extravagant palaces of historical despots. The County Assembly Speaker and the Deputy Governor also have luxurious residences, with costs far exceeding the set limits. Collectively, these mansions cost the county KSH 380 million, equivalent to the total annual income of 5,628 residents.
Mwangi also compared Mandera to other regions, emphasizing that the county’s financial support from the national government is disproportionately high relative to its population and economic output. For instance, Nakuru County, with over twice the population of Mandera, received only KSH 13 billion in the same fiscal year.
The allocation and expenditure of Mandera’s budget reveal further inefficiencies and mismanagement. Departments such as the County Assembly and the Office of the Governor and Deputy Governor have expenses exceeding those of crucial ministries like Agriculture, Education, and Health. This prioritization highlights the government’s focus on self-enrichment over public service.
A closer look at the Ministry of Education’s budget illustrates this point. Out of KSH 452 million in recurrent expenditure, a significant portion goes to salaries and various allowances, leaving only a fraction for actual services like bursaries and grants. This pattern is replicated across other departments, underscoring the systemic issue of funds being siphoned off to benefit a few individuals rather than the broader community.
Mwangi argued that such financial mismanagement and corruption are not isolated to Mandera but reflect a broader national issue. The frequent reports of bribery, corruption, and the ineffectiveness of anti-corruption bodies like the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have eroded public trust in government institutions.
The revelations about Mandera County’s budget and expenditure underscore a critical need for reform. Mwangi warned that Kenya risks descending into a state of collapse akin to Haiti or Somalia if these issues are not addressed. The call to action is clear: for Kenya to avert such a fate, there must be a concerted demand for accountability, transparency, and a fundamental change in how government resources are managed.