Millions of shillings meant to uplift women in Kajiado County are at the centre of a storm after a County Assembly probe uncovered ghost beneficiaries, skewed allocations and glaring gaps in the management of the Women Economic Empowerment Fund.
The nine-member committee, led by MCA Naisiae Karia, found critical gaps in the administration and management of the fund, according to a report obtained by the Nation.
The Women Economic Empowerment Fund was established by the Kajiado County Government under a 2021 Act to provide accessible, revolving credit to women’s groups, enabling them to engage in income-generating activities across the 25 wards. Group loans range from Sh100, 000 to Sh300, 000, while institutional funding can reach up to Sh1,000,000.
According to the report, the committee adopted a multi-pronged approach, including field oversight visits to beneficiary groups in selected wards, review of departmental submissions, and engagements with the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Gender, Cooperatives, Culture, Tourism and Wildlife, Mr Jeremiah Ole Ncharo.
The committee also reported a questionable reduction of the kitty from an initial Sh20 million to Sh10 million in the 2024/2025 financial year. The funds were shared among 68 beneficiary groups across the county, translating to about Sh147, 058 per group. This marked the first disbursement of the fund.
The report further cited inequitable distribution of funds, contrary to departmental claims that allocations were fairly spread across all 25 wards. Significant disparities were observed, with some wards receiving substantially higher amounts while others received little or no funding.
“Cases were noted where wards listed as beneficiaries did not have actual groups from those wards. The vetting process conducted by the Fund Management Board was inadequate and lacked due diligence. Instances were identified where groups were misrepresented in terms of location, and some beneficiary groups could not be traced,” read part of the report, pointing to possible misappropriation of funds meant for marginalised women.
The committee also flagged overreliance on application documents without field verification, which led to allocation errors and misrepresentation.
It identified inconsistencies between departmental records and beneficiary accounts. Notably, Osiligi le Magadi Group and Nanu Oyie Self-Help Group were listed as beneficiaries but denied receiving any funds.
A member of the Osiligi le Magadi Group, who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity, termed the fund a “cash cow” for some county officials.
MCAs during a past session at the Kajiado County Assembly.
Photo credit: Stanley Ngotho | Nation
“This is a cash cow for a few individuals. The County Assembly report is not enough. We want the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to conduct a forensic audit of the fund since its inception. It is unethical for an officer to indicate a group has received funds when they have not received a coin,” said the agitated member.
The report also highlighted inadequate beneficiary sensitisation. A majority of groups were unaware that the funds were loans requiring repayment, with many perceiving them as government grants—an indication of poor communication.
Sensitisation efforts by the department were found to be limited, inconsistent and not verifiable. For instance, Matumaini CBO (Rombo), Enyuata Naninkoi Women Group, Le Magadi Women Group and Naboisho Nkuyan Group were all unaware that the fund is revolving.
The committee further noted irregularities in fund utilisation, with some groups failing to use the money for its intended purposes. Cases included sharing funds among officials and investing in high-risk or unsuitable ventures without guidance. A lack of structured monitoring also contributed to misuse of public funds.
Despite these challenges, several groups utilised the funds effectively for income-generating activities such as livestock rearing, poultry farming and water projects.
Poor repayment performance also emerged as a major concern. Repayment levels remain extremely low, with only a few groups having made partial repayments. Many beneficiaries interviewed lacked knowledge of repayment procedures, including payment channels, placing the fund at risk.
To safeguard the kitty, the committee recommended a raft of measures, including a comprehensive audit of all disbursements within 30 days to verify accountability and address discrepancies, as well as equitable and transparent allocation at the intra-ward level.
“The department shall conduct comprehensive and documented sensitisation for all beneficiary groups prior to disbursement. Sensitisation must clearly cover the nature of the fund as a revolving loan, as well as repayment terms and timelines. All applicant groups must undergo rigorous vetting, including regular field visits, engagement of ward and village administrators, and periodic performance assessments,” the committee recommended.
CECM for Gender, Cooperatives, Culture, Tourism and Wildlife, Mr Jeremiah Ole Ncharo, told the Nation that the repayment rate of the revolving fund was below 10 per cent, terming the situation dire. He, however, appeared evasive on groups that had not received funds despite being listed as beneficiaries.
"Most beneficiaries are reluctant to repay their loans. Less than 10 per cent have begun repayment, but we have come up with a repayment guarantee form to be signed by group officials. The funds can be traced to the very groups who claim they did not receive them," said Ole Ncharo.
