Huruma Ward Aspirant Demands Accountability as NYS Begins Long-Awaited Development Works

Huruma Ward DCP party aspirant Harun Maina

Huruma Ward DCP party aspirant Harun Maina has welcomed the rollout of development projects by the National Youth Service (NYS) in the ward but raised serious concerns over the utilisation of County Development Funds, calling for a comprehensive audit of budget allocations made over the past several financial years.

Maina said residents had waited for years to see meaningful development despite repeated budgetary allocations.

“I want to first thank the county government because we have waited for a long time for work to be done in Huruma Ward,” Maina said. “We appreciate that NYS has been brought in and that the programme was officially launched by the governor. At least now, we can see people on the ground working.”

Questions over past allocations

While welcoming the NYS intervention, Maina questioned why the County Government had only now moved to implement projects that were already funded in previous budgets. He cited the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 financial years, particularly allocations made for pothole filling and road maintenance on tarmac roads in areas such as Gulab Lochab.

“If you check the County budget, especially for 2022–2023, there were clear allocations for pothole filling of tarmac roads,” he said. “But today, we are being told that this work is being done in Muram, around schools such as Gakanu, which serves the Bishop Delany area. On paper, the work was completed, but on the ground, nothing was done.”

Maina alleged that County documentation shows several projects as complete, yet residents have not seen the results, raising concerns of misreporting and possible misuse of public funds.

“There are records in county offices showing that works were done and completed,” he said. “But if you physically go to the ground, there is no evidence. This is not a political issue; it is about accountability.”

Allegations of ignored concerns

The aspirant said he previously raised concerns over the discrepancy between budget records and actual work on the ground but was accused of politicising development issues.

“I brought this matter up earlier, and I was told I was playing politics,” Maina said. “But now NYS has already come into the ward, and that alone shows there was a serious problem in how projects were being implemented before.”

He added that the arrival of NYS had opened residents’ eyes to the scale of neglect in the ward, warning that public frustration was growing.

“People are getting tired,” he said. “They see budgets announced every year, but they do not see the work. That is why there is anger and confusion.”

Concerns over public participation

Maina also questioned the county’s public participation process, saying residents were never adequately consulted on how projects were prioritised within the ward.

“We are told public participation is done at the beginning of every financial year, but we have never seen a situation where the whole ward agrees that all the resources should go to one specific area,” he said. “From Kengongo all the way to the CBD, Huruma Ward has serious infrastructure challenges, yet allocations keep appearing in the same locations.”

He argued that development projects should be equitably distributed across the ward, rather than concentrated in a few areas.

Call for Auditor-General’s intervention

The aspirant called on the Office of the Auditor-General, county roads and infrastructure departments, and other oversight institutions to publicly account for how funds allocated to Huruma Ward were spent from the 2022–2023 financial year through to the current 2025–2026 budget cycle.

“We want the Auditor-General’s office to come here and tell us where the money went,” Maina said. “From the roads department, from the allocations in 2022–2023, 2023–2024, 2024–2025, and now 2025–2026—there must be reports. Before NYS came in, where was the allocation?”

He said transparency would help restore public confidence and ensure future projects are implemented as planned.

Comparisons with other wards

Maina further pointed to what he termed unequal development across wards, citing Langas as an example where residents have benefited from solar street lighting projects.

“In Langas, you can clearly see solar street lights,” he said. “Each ward was reportedly allocated Sh3 million for street lighting. So we are asking: where is Huruma Ward’s share of that budget?”

He said residents’ questions about missing projects were often dismissed as political agitation.

“When we ask about the budget, we are told we are fighting politics,” he said. “But now it is time to know the truth. Development is not politics.”

Appeal ahead of elections

Looking ahead to the next election cycle, Maina urged the county government to prioritize service delivery to residents, particularly those who have suffered due to lack of infrastructure and basic services.

“The election period is coming to an end, and we want to know where the people’s budget is,” he said. “Those who will vote, those who are sick, those who are struggling—these are the people who should be given first priority.”

He added that even limited resources should be fairly distributed to address urgent needs in the ward.

“Even if there is little money, let it be used for the people,” Maina said. “Huruma Ward deserves transparency, fairness and development like every other ward.”

As NYS continues its work in Huruma Ward, residents say they welcome the visible progress but insist that a full audit of past projects and budgets is necessary to ensure accountability and prevent a repeat of past failures.