By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 12 July 2026 - When officials from the Kisumu West National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) appeared before Parliament in March to answer questions over an audit query, they insisted the true measure of accountability was not paperwork alone but the projects standing in communities.
Months later, that argument appears to have gained traction.
The administration block at Onyiengo Primary School, which featured prominently during the parliamentary hearing, is now complete and in use, serving teachers and learners after concerns raised by the Office of the Auditor General over a KSh3 million payment were addressed.
Appearing before the National Assembly's Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee, Fund Account Manager Kipngetich Lang'at explained that the audit observation reflected the status of the project during construction rather than its final outcome.
He said payments were made only after work had been certified by the Ministry of Public Works and approved by the project's consultant, while completion was briefly delayed as the NG-CDF Board considered a contract variation that increased the project cost to KSh 3.8 million.
"The projects are there for everyone to see," Lang'at told the committee.
"Our focus has always been to work closely with the area MP, the NG-CDF Committee and local communities to ensure public resources translate into real development for residents."
He credited the collaborative approach championed by Kisumu West MP Rozaah Buyu and members of the constituency NG-CDF Committee for enabling projects to move from the drawing board to completion.
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"When leaders, the committee and the community work together, the beneficiaries are the people. That is the spirit guiding development in Kisumu West," Lang'at said.
The parliamentary appearance formed part of a wider review of constituency development projects across the country, reflecting increased scrutiny over the management of public funds. Yet for Kisumu West, the hearing also offered an opportunity to showcase a broader development record.
Lang'at said Onyiengo Primary School was only one of several completed education and community projects undertaken through the NG-CDF, arguing that residents could readily see the fund's investments across the constituency.
For many communities, audit reports often highlight concerns at a particular point in a project's lifecycle.
Parliamentary oversight, however, also allows implementing agencies to explain how projects evolve from construction sites into completed public facilities.
At Onyiengo Primary School, the administration block has now become part of the school's daily operations—a reminder that while financial accountability remains central to public spending, the lasting test of development is whether projects improve the lives of the people they were intended to serve.