Civil society groups in Garissa call for stricter oversight of NGOs misusing donor funds

Civil society groups in Garissa have called for stricter regulations to address concerns about Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) accused of siphoning donor funds while failing to deliver on their stated missions.

This was during a public participation forum on the Public Benefit Organisations (PBO) Act, 2013, held in Garissa Town.

Mohamed Khalif Nunde, the chairperson of Garissa civil society organisations, said that NGOs serving communities must be held accountable through mandatory reporting requirements, audits, and public access to information about their activities.

"The new Act must be stringent enough to weed out organisations that have no presence on the ground but continue to siphon donor funds while operating with little or no oversight," he said.

He called for strict registration procedures, increased monitoring, and penalties for non-compliance. He also supported the PBO Act's provisions for potential government funding, preferential treatment in procurement, access to public information, and training programmes for registered PBOs.

"The majority of communities in this region rely on NGOs for various livelihood support projects. However, these organisations sometimes face funding crises. With the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, many NGOs will experience financial difficulties, which will negatively affect ongoing projects and, in turn, harm local communities. This is why government funding support is necessary as an intervention," he added.

Hassan Abdi, a resident of Garissa, expressed concern over the presence of numerous NGOs in the region, some of whose activities, he claimed, are unknown to the public.

He stressed that strict regulations under the PBO Act would enforce transparency and accountability in their operations.

"The PBO Act must ensure NGOs are accountable both to the communities they serve and to the government," he said.

He added that all potential projects should be fully endorsed by the community through public participation forums.

Aden Bille Hassan, chairperson of the Garissa Disability Groups, also raised concerns about the accountability of NGOs and called for robust regulation under the Act. He emphasised the need for NGOs to have specific programmes supporting persons with disabilities.

"We have many NGOs operating in Garissa, yet none support persons with disabilities. We need to be included, and the PBO Act must guide them accordingly," he said.

He also urged the government to waive registration fees for NGOs and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) that are formed either by or specifically to support persons with disabilities.

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Most speakers at the forum highlighted the importance of strict registration procedures and the need for the government to provide financial support to credible community-based organisations and NGOs.

Dr Laxmana Kiptoo, Executive Director and CEO of the Public Benefit Organisations Regulatory Authority, assured the public that the PBO Act would strongly enforce regulations to eliminate ‘briefcase NGOs’ operating in the country.

"The Act already empowers the Authority to verify the existence and operations of all organisations working within Kenya. We will know where they are based and who benefits from their services. With your additional input, such rogue entities will have no room to operate," he said.

He added that any organisation suspected of being a conduit for money laundering or terrorism would be dealt with firmly under the Act.