A section of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) members in Matungulu constituency have raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the distribution of women empowerment funds in the area.
Speaking to the press, the members—led by party member James Mwovi—accused a local aspirant, Simon Kathumo, of unilaterally disbursing the funds to select groups without consulting other stakeholders.
Mwovi claimed the funds, which were raised during a women empowerment event attended by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, have not been distributed transparently. He further alleged that money meant for participants’ lunch on the day of the event also went missing.
“We, as UDA members in Matungulu, are angry. The Deputy President had a successful visit and promised lunch for attendees, but to date, no one has received anything,” said Mwovi.
He added that they had agreed that the empowerment funds would be wired directly to the group accounts for transparency and accountability.
“As we continued with our activities, we were shocked to learn that Simon Kathumo has begun distributing the money without involving us. We want the disbursement halted until there is clarity on the total amount raised and how much was meant for lunch and for empowerment,” he stated.
The empowerment program, which has been held in various parts of the region, was intended to support women’s groups, but the alleged mishandling of funds in Matungulu has sparked calls for an audit and greater transparency.
