On June 23rd 2009, the East African published an article outlining a litany of financial mismanagement and impropriety at the Youth Enterprise Development Fund. The Fund in turn through its Chairperson, Ms. Hellen Tombo accused the Standard of being used in political machinations, and looking for corruption where none exists.

Though the Ministry confirmed it received an investigation report from the Inspectorate of State Corporations they denied through Minister Hellen Sambili having lost any money. The Ministry further published a paid advertisement in the Daily Nation reiterating the same. Since the Youth Fund’s press briefing, no other media mentions have emerged regarding their response on the discrepancies outlined in the Kenya National Audit Office letter to the Youth Fund.

The Youth Fund in this years Budget (2009/10) is set to receive a substantial amount of money from the Exchequer. Therefore, before they receive the Funds, it is imperative that they satisfy the Kenyan public and in particular its youth who form the majority of Kenya’s citizenry that it has rectified these discrepancies.

Principles of accountability and transparency demand that it is the role of the Government of Kenya and its public officer to answer questions posed by the citizenry they serve. To politicise issues is an act of the impunity that has allowed scandals of loss of billions of Kenya shillings to happen.

To avert this, the Partnership for Change on behalf of its membership poses several questions with the ultimate view of not having to witness another scandal later on, if it emerges that the Youth Fund was indeed losing much needed money.

Read Full Report: http://blog.marsgroupkenya.org/?p=945

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Watching Out For You.

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Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:36:41 +0100
From: Mars Group Kenya
Subject: “A fish rots from the head … down”: Crony Capitalism at the Kenya Youth Enterprise Development Fund