Kenyan Newspapers Review, December 29: MCAs Exposed For Gobbling Up KSh 312m Allowances In 3 Months

The local dailies on Friday, December 29, covered an array of subjects, including the inflated expenditures in allowances for the members of the 47 County Assemblies.

The newspapers also reported on the postponement of the release of the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results.

1. Taifa Leo

The Swahili newspaper spotlighted a report by the Controller of Budget implicating the members of the County Assemblies in the dissipation of over KSh 312 million between July and September 2023, the first quarter of the 2023/24 fiscal year.

This, according to Margaret Nyakango', was a 249.2% increase compared to the KSh 89.63 used for allowances by MCAs in the 2022/23 financial year.

The KSh 312 million was part of the KSh 18.76 billion disbursed to the counties in the period.

Earlier, the COB had pointed out that MCAs from 12 counties cumulatively used over KSh 3 billion in domestic and foreign travel between July and September 2023.

The foreign destinations for the MCAs and other county officers included Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United States of America (USA), and Turkey.

In Africa, they preferred Tanzania's Arusha and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

The counties exposed for the inflated travel expenditures are Migori (KSh 184.6 million), Nairobi (KSh 167.8 million), Kajiado (KSh 124.37 million), Kericho (KSh 106.12), Machakos (KSh 104.4 million), Nandi (KSh 132.79 million), Kitui (KSh 129.4 million), Nyeri (KSh 101.32 million), Turkana (KSh 107.83 million), Narok (KSh 120.52 million), Nyamira (KSh 115.14 million) and Nyandarua (KSh 109.55 million).

Nyakang'o, however, noted that the travel expenditures for some counties were incurred during the 2022/23 fiscal year but were settled in the 2023/24 fiscal year.

2. Daily Nation

The daily highlighted the postponement of the release date of the 2023 KCSE examination results.

Candidates would know their results in January 2024.

The Ministry of Education's communiqué came amid anxiety among the candidates, parents, and others concerned.

Ezekiel Machogu, the Cabinet Secretary in charge, revealed the marking process had been concluded.

The Ministry heeded the examiners' appeal for more time to compile, verify and validate the results; they were to be released on December 28.

Following the development, the results will be out by the end of the second week of the coming month.

The government recently repealed the SMS code used to relay national examination results.

Machogu stated that the department and the Ministry of ICT were working towards opening a website where all candidates could check their results for free.

“We (Ministry of Education) do away with SMS transmission of national exam provisional results and open a new platform. Currently, school portals are the most reliable," said Machogu.

While appearing before a National Assembly departmental committee on Education, the CS noted that candidates were restricted from accessing the website.

The CS further disclosed that the ministry had terminated the services of the contractor in charge of transmitting 2023 KCPE results through SMS, holding the firm accountable for the inaccurate results received by certain candidates.

The announcement came after primary schools and students raised complaints about the results.

3. The Standard

The publication reported on the woes faced by former High Court judge Said Chitembwe.

Chitembwe's appeal contesting his removal from office was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, December 28, Supreme Court judges ruled that there was enough evidence to prove Chitembwe's behaviour was a violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethics, constituting gross misconduct and misbehaviour.

The five-judge bench agreed with the tribunal's findings led by Justice Mumbi Ngugi, which recommended his removal from office.

"The Court found that there was no basis upon which to conclude that the JSC violated the petitioner’s right to fair administrative action, nor did the Tribunal, for rejecting the invitation to interrogate the proceedings before the JSC, for which it had no powers," ruled the Supreme Court bench.

The Supreme Court bench dismissed Chitembwe's argument that the audio and video recordings presented as evidence against him violated his right to privacy.

"On the allegation of entrapment, the Court found that the recordings were procured by the petitioner’s relatives and acquaintances, and even in the absence of the recordings, there was independent and direct evidence of persons who were present and participated fully in the recorded conversation," the judges said.

The tribunal had found Chitembwe guilty of soliciting money in cases he presided over.

“The Tribunal finds, therefore, that the Judge was engaged in the subversion of justice through commenting and advising a litigant on matters pending in court contrary to Article 75(c) of the Constitution, and Regulation 18 of the Code of Conduct and Ethics,” the Tribunal said.

Compounding the situation for whim was his fallout with former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko who leaked his (Chitembwe's) dirty clips.

Sonko in 2021 presented his petition to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) seeking the judge's ouster over allegations of impropriety and gross misconduct.

He had in the past couple of weeks dragged Chitembwe's name into his 2020 impeachment and also accused him of compromising cases.

In the video clips circulated online, Chitembwe is captured engaging in conversations involving the exchange of money to facilitate favourable rulings.

In another viral clip, a man who identifies himself as Chitembwe's brother is also caught on camera talking about the payment of KSh100 million.

"If you are paid the KSh100 million, you are being paid in your capacity as a nominee of Justice Chitembwe on this matter?" the man is asked to which he responds in affirmative.