NAIROBI, Kenya – At least Sh4.1 billion in bursary funds meant for needy students through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) cannot be traced, the Auditor-General has revealed — raising fresh concerns over how MPs manage the kitty.
In her latest report for the year ending June 2024, Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu said that while 125 constituencies claimed to have assisted thousands of students, the majority failed to produce records to prove the disbursements.
The audit shows that 86 constituencies did not provide supporting documents — including receipts from schools, acknowledgement forms from students, and admission numbers — for a combined Sh2.12 billion in bursaries.
“Eighty-six NG-CDF offices failed to provide supporting documents for bursary disbursements … amounting to Sh2,122,652,960,” the Auditor-General said.
A further 39 constituencies could not account for Sh1.97 billion because they lacked records on how beneficiaries were selected, such as bursary vetting committee minutes, policy guidelines, or assessment reports.
The absence of these records, Gathungu warned, raises the risk of bias and exclusion of deserving students.
Introduced in 2003 under President Mwai Kibaki, the NG-CDF has long been used to fund classroom construction, police stations, and student bursaries.
MPs have defended it as a lifeline for needy learners, but the audit findings expose glaring gaps in transparency and accountability.
The revelations come as the fund faces an uncertain future. In September last year, the High Court declared NG-CDF unconstitutional and ordered it to shut down by June 30, 2026.
“The NG-CDF and all its programmes, projects and activities shall cease to operate at the stroke of midnight on June 30, 2026,” the court ruled.
Despite the ruling, legislators are pushing to retain control over constituency cash.
In March, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkong’a tabled a bill seeking to amend the Constitution and establish a National Government Constituencies Fund (NGCF).
The proposal also seeks to entrench the Senate Oversight Fund (SOF) and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) in the Constitution.
During the audit period, all 290 constituencies spent Sh17.45 billion on bursaries — including Sh11.35 billion for secondary schools, Sh5.78 billion for tertiary institutions, Sh207.6 million for special schools, and Sh110.5 million for primary schools.
The Auditor-General’s findings are likely to fuel the ongoing debate over the future of the fund — and whether MPs can be trusted to manage billions meant for Kenya’s most vulnerable students.
