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Tobby Otum
Traders at the famous Kongowea market in Mombasa county have called for an independent audit over alleged embezzlement of Sh 2 million meant for the economic empowerment of small and medium enterprises [SME’S] in the area.
They said a cartel posed as leaders at the market and hijacked Deputy President William Ruto’s visit at the place and disappeared with the money intended for the traders.
“The 2 million shillings donated by the DP and meant for the SME’s landed in the wrong hands,” they pointed out.
They said despite their love for Ruto they now have second thoughts about his bid to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in next year’s polls after the incident.
They said the market has over 10,000 traders most of who live from hand to mouth and rely on their businesses to make ends meet.
Led by Richard Nyangoto who claims to be a trader and chairman at the market they said the money given out by Ruto never reached them.
They were answering questions from journalists at the market in Nyali constituency.
The Kongowea market chairman said that out of the Sh 2 million given out by Ruto only Sh 700,000 was distributed to the traders while the balance of Sh 1.2 million has disappeared.
Nyangoto who was flanked by market patron Philip Sammy and market committee member Millicent Odudo said the money was distributed when most of the traders had left the market.
He insisted the balance of Sh 1.2 million has ended up in some individuals’ pockets.
“The purported officials had sidelined the bonafide market officials with the intention to embezzle the money and we therefore want the Sh 1.2 million recovered from the cartel,” he said.
The market chairman told journalists the missing amount has caused division among the traders.
Nyangoto pointed out that before the visit by Ruto and the money donation the traders at the market were united.
He said some traders at some sections of the market were given Sh 5000 out of the total amount of Sh 2 million.
He said he warned local legislator Mohamed Ali alias Jicho Pevu about a cartel at the market but his warning was ignored.
“Some traders were to receive Sh 100 and others Sh 50 which is an insult to them,” he added.
The market patron lauded the DP for his frequent visits at the market but he sympathized with him for the incident in which the money meant for the traders ended up in the wrong hands.
Sammy said those who attended the rally at the market were people brought in from outside the area with a hidden agenda.
He pointed out those who shared the loot are wealthy traders and not those who the money was meant to benefit.
“The local legislator has refused to recognize the bonafide officials at the market and he has instead been working with imposters,” he pointed out.
The market committee member said the money was meant for the empowering of women traders at the market as Ruto had promised he had something big for them.
She pointed out the money some of them received was peanuts and to make matters worse it was not fairly distributed.
“There was a lot cheating and a lack of transparency during the distribution of the money to the traders,” she said.