350 Homa Bay residents trained to boost ability to monitor projects

At least 350 Homa Bay residents have been trained on citizen accountability audit to enhance their ability to monitor and evaluate government projects.

The Eastern Africa Collaboration for Economic Social and Cultural Rights is training residents to improve their participation in development projects.

EACOR regional director Bether K’Okach and monitoring and evaluation officer Zephaniah Change said their organisation is championing citizen accountability audits.

K’Okach said Kenyans pay taxes and deserve to know how their money is utilised.

She said citizen audits begin with residents giving their views on projects around them.

“Accountability and value for money is the most significant thing for any development progress. The constitution gives a lot of emphasis on public participation,” K’Okach said.

EACOR has sensitised residents from six constituencies in Homa Bay. 

They are from Karachuonyo, Homa Bay Town, Kabondo Kasipul, Rangwe, Suba North and Ndhiwa.

They check projects undertaken in health, education and water sectors.

Speaking to journalists during the training in Homa Bay town, K’Okach said the programme empowers residents to know their rights.

“Nobody wants their taxes to be mismanaged. People will comfortably pay taxes to the government if they are certain the money is prudently utilised,” she said.

Change said their assessment shows up to 40 per cent of projects in Homa Bay are being done without public views being sought.

He said failure to involve members of the public in any development initiative raises a lot of questions.

“We know projects that were started without public participation and this raises a lot of audit queries,” Change said. 

He said one of the most important aspects in understanding projects is to make bill of quantities available to the public.

Change explained that exercise is backed by law including Public Finance Management Act, 2012, and Citizen Accountability Audit under the office of the Auditor General.

“We have groups called agents of change, which we use to enlighten residents to make their voice count in implementation of development projects," he said.

Homa Bay Bunge La Wenye Nchi coordinator Okano Nyasanja and Bernard Onyango, who are agents of change, said they have realised there is misuse of funds for health projects whose construction has been ongoing for years.

“Our work shouldn’t be politicised because we are focused on identifying the gaps in implementation of development projects. Social accountability must be enhanced,” Nyasanga said.