An MP is in trouble over a Sh2 million donation from Deputy President William Ruto in November 2018, joining a long list of politicians embroiled in controversy over use of public funds.
Parents at Ikonge Secondary School and the adjacent Ikonge Primary School in Kitutu Masaba constituency, Nyamira County, are accusing local MP Shadrack Mose of pocketing the money, which he received from Ruto on behalf of the two schools.
The parents say the funds were meant for development of infrastructure at the two schools.
The parents claim Ruto gave out the money – in cash – to the MP in full glare of the public and a number of leaders who included Migori Governor Okoth Obado, Nyamira Woman Representative Jerusha Momanyi and MPs Vincent Kemosi (West Mugirango), Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango), Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango), Alpha Miruka (Bomachoge Chache) and Jonah Mburu (Lari).
The parents, led by Dennis Mokaya, say the money was meant for the construction of classrooms to ease congestion at the two institutions.
The project has not taken off because the MP is yet to release the funds, he says.
“When the Deputy President visited our institutions which are next to each other, we told him about the challenges facing the two schools regarding infrastructure and he responded by giving us Sh1 million for each institution; the cash was received by our MP.
We thought that after the DP’s departure the MP would surrender the money to the schools but to date, he has kept mum,” Mokaya added.
Ikonge Secondary School principal Kaunda Nyandega told People Daily that some parents were now accusing him of receiving the money from the MP and squandering it.
He said his efforts to get the money from the MP had been unsuccessful “as he has kept on avoiding me.”
Contacted, the MP confirmed he had received the money which he intends to hand over to the two schools alongside funds from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) kitty.
“My intention for withholding the money is positive contrary to what the parents are thinking.
I plan to give them more money from the CDF kitty so that they can construct at least four classrooms each,” Mose stated.
He accused his political detractors of using the parents to taint his image.
It is not the first time politicians are being accused of misappropriating public funds donated by Ruto.
Hand over
In January this year, Ruto’s office was forced to issue a disclaimer following cases where the public was being swindled of money in the DP’s name.
“The DP is a public servant and access to him is absolutely free. In fact, it is every Kenyan’s right to see the DP.
There have been cases of people allegedly asking for money to (enable them) to see him. That is criminal,” the statement said.
“Any member of the public who has been conned should report to the police or the DP’s office,” Ruto’s press secretary Emmanuel Talam said.
Four incidents, two in December last year, one in October and another in August 2018, were cited as fraudsters used Ruto’s name to swindle unsuspecting people.
Last December, crafty individuals collected at least Sh483,000 from Isiolo residents with the promise of facilitating a meeting with Ruto in Nairobi.
Each gave Sh2,300; Sh1,100 for a Ruto-branded T-shirt and Sh1,200 for transport.
They had been told that after meeting the DP, each would be given a Sh10,000 “allowance”. The deal sounded irresistible to many.
The group was to meet at a local hotel on December 29, to plan for the trip that would begin the following day at 4am.
The meeting took place, they paid the money and were to receive T-shirts on Monday morning before the journey began. But it was not to be.
Those who paid found themselves stranded, cheated and demanding answers. The crowd waited for more than six hours before accepting they had been conned.
A few days earlier, Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi was on the spot over claims he pocketed part of Sh4 million the Ruto gave to be distributed among leaders from the region who had travelled to his Sugoi home, Uasin Gishu, on December 17.
The MPs in the delegation included Nyamoko, Mose, Kemosi and Miruka. “This is not the first time he has done it. I wish the DP gave us the money directly,” complained one of the MPs.
But Maangi dismissed the claims as baseless. “I did not do that. That is false,” he said.
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