Gachagua on the Spot Over Ksh10 Billion El Nino Funds
The assertions of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that Ksh10 billion was disbursed to assist governors in mitigating the effects of El Nino have been met with skepticism from the governors.
On November 21, 2022, while distributing food to flood victims in Kisauni, Mombasa, Governor Abdulswamar Nassir and his counterpart from Siaya, James Orengo, denied receipt of the funds.
The deputy president is requested by both governors to provide clarification on the allocation and disbursement of the funds in light of the catastrophic damage caused by the torrential rain.
“The truth is that the national government has not disbursed even a cent for the county government for El Nino, not even in his home county, Nyeri,” Orengo stated.
Nassir, for his part, requested that the administrator of the budget and the Parliament investigate Gachagua’s allegations.
“There have been claims that the National Government has released 10 billion shillings for El Niño response to the counties. For the avoidance of doubt, despite the challenges, the County Government of Mombasa has managed its disaster response from our own source of revenue.” Nassir
Moreover, non-governmental organizations and the Kenya Red Cross rushed to Mombasa’s assistance, according to the governor of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Additionally, county leaders in Wajir beseeched the government to release the funds, given that the county is among the most severely affected regions by the ongoing torrential downpours.
Governor of the region Ahmed Abdullahi warned that unless the national government releases the funds designated in the supplemental budget, the situation could spiral out of control. Edit and then publish.
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In the interim, Gachagua, who delivered humanitarian provisions to Msambweni in Kilifi County, exhorted governors not to attribute their inability to mitigate the effects of El Nino to the federal government.
“We want Governor Nassir to buy food for those affected by floods. As a governor, you also have money. People can’t die yet you have kept money in the bank.”
“When we are through with the El Nino challenge, we can resume development projects. Why would you invest in development when people are dying? Stop all the development projects in Mombasa,” Gachagua alleged.
The continuation of the El Niño rainfall is anticipated until the following year, as stated by David Gikungu, the Director of Meteorological Services.
Gikungu informed the National Assembly Committee on Environment, Forestry, and Mining on Tuesday that the earlier-issued weather forecast had not been revoked.
“We are concerned that the head of state was misled earlier on when he made his comments on the now ongoing Elnino rains because we are now indeed in an Elnino season. The weather forecast that we gave at the beginning has not been withdrawn. It is 100 percent true”
Gachagua on the Spot Over Ksh10 Billion El Nino Funds