GARISSA GOVERNOR DENIES SABOTAGING KDRDRIP WORLD BANK PROJECT

Garissa governor Ali Korane has denied accusations by local members of parliament that he is sabotaging the implementation of Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impacts (KDRDIP).

Governor Korane accused the MPs of hijacking the projects and playing the role of facilitating partner, a role he claims to have been given by county coordination committee co- chaired by county secretary and Garissa county commissioner.

“These Mp,s want to blackmail me to accept and tell my people that everything is right. They bypassed the county coordination committee and went to national committee to have the money released into their accounts yet they received the CDF fund. So far, they have received over 300 million shillings and should explain how they have spent the money instead of dragging my name,” he said.

Earlier, the Mp’s had accused the County government of demanding to have signatories of bank accounts for this money, terming it a push and pull likely to deny locals the much-needed service. The MP’s who include Mohamed Dahiye for Dadaab, Mohamed Hire for Lagdera and Abdikarim Osman for Fafi said the access to basic social amenities, expanded economic opportunities and enhancement of environmental management for communities hosting the refugees will remain a dream if the national government does not intervene.

“This project is one of a kind; it has delivered services which the county government has failed to deliver to more than 50 percent of the residents of Garissa. It’s a project that will put money into the pockets of thousands of households of our people and help them during this period of drought, covid-19 and poor state of economy”, said Lagdera MP Mohamed Hire.

Hire asked the county government to stop interfering with funding and support of service delivery to the residents and further appealed to the Devolution Cabinet Secretary to intervene.

“We appeal to the CS to stand firm against the county government misusing your office by people whose sole objective is to make this project a cash cow,” said Hire.

KDRDIP programme was started in 2017 in Garissa, Wajir and Turkana counties that have been hosting refugees leaving devastating effects on both environment, economy and social well-being of the host communities.

Garissa would receive a lion’s share of 4.2 billion, 2 billion for Wajir and 3.1 billion shillings for Turkana. Fafi, Lagdera and Dadaab constituencies are the beneficiaries of this project in Garissa county.