Residents from Athi River Township ward in Mavoko sub-county on Wednesday walked out of a county budget public participation meeting in protest.
The residents who addressed the press after walking out of the meeting accused officers from the Machakos county government, they accused the convener of the meeting of attempting to use them to justify squandered public funds.
“We were called to come and attend the meeting in the name of public participation only to be read for by the conveners 2015/16 county financial budgetary allocations to the projects that do not exist. They are trying to use us for stolen money used to implement ghost project,” said Joseph Muia.
Muia said they had to walk out of the meeting in protest because officials from the government were wasting their valuable time telling them white lies at broad day light.
“Why are we here to satisfy that somebody is working while people are busy squandering public funds at the expense of poor wananchi?” remarked Muia.
Samson Mwangi said the residents need an audit of how funds said to had been allocated for various projects in the county were utilized.
He faulted the officers for stating that the county government in its 2015/16 financial year allocated Sh2 billion for water project though there is no single complete and functional water project in entire Mavoko sub-county.
Lilian Aoko said the projects documented on the report were all scam arguing all the development in Mavoko sub-county were projects executed by former Assistant Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Wavinya Ndeti.
The residents said several dams, early child education centers, bore holes and the proposed Mavoko Level Four Hospital among other projects were incomplete and stalled projects.
The officers were forced to end the meeting prematurely.