By REUBEN OLITA
July 17, 2026| Teso North Police Commander Calls for Infrastructure Upgrade as Public Participation Forums ConcludeThe Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) for Teso North, Charles Chepkong’a, has made a passionate appeal to the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) to prioritise the renovation of the dilapidated Malaba Police Station and the construction of a modern administration block at the Amagoro Divisional Headquarters.
Speaking on Friday during the final public participation forum for Malaba Central Ward, which focused on identifying priority NG-CDF projects, Chepkong’a painted a grim picture of the two facilities, describing them as being in a state of disrepair and in urgent need of government intervention.
“The Malaba Police Station building is in a very poor condition, with a leaking roof that has made working conditions unbearable. I propose that the NG-CDF Teso North steps in to help renovate it,” said the police commander.
He further revealed that the Amagoro Divisional Headquarters offices, constructed several decades ago, have deteriorated significantly over the years.
“My office in Amagoro was built many years ago, and even the door has been devoured by termites. It would be prudent for the NG-CDF to consider constructing a modern administration block for the sub-county headquarters. This will serve not only the current officers but also those who will be posted here in future,” he added.
Call for Prompt Reporting of Crimes
Chepkong’a also urged residents to report criminal incidents without delay, noting that delayed reporting—particularly in defilement cases—often hampers investigations and compromises successful prosecution.
“We receive some defilement cases when it is already too late, making it difficult to gather evidence and prosecute the perpetrators. Such cases should be reported immediately,” he emphasised.
Public Participation: A Constitutional RequirementDeputy County Commissioner Solomon Kitai underscored the importance of public participation, stating that it is anchored in the Constitution and enables citizens to determine development priorities within their communities.
He acknowledged that while communities have numerous needs, limited resources necessitate the prioritisation of projects through participatory forums.
Kitai also announced that the government will leverage school headteachers to facilitate the processing of national identity cards for eligible students.
“We shall use headteachers to identify and verify the students, and within about three weeks they will receive their identity cards,” he said.
Key Priorities Emerging from Ward Forums
Construction of offices for chiefs and assistant chiefs emerged as a common priority across the public participation forums that began on Wednesday in Angurai East and Angurai North wards.
However, Amagoro resident Joel Osiga proposed the establishment of one-stop administrative centres where chiefs and assistant chiefs would operate from the same building, enhancing efficiency and accessibility for residents.George Ndoto, chairman of widows in Teso North, appealed for an increase in education support for vulnerable learners, describing the current allocation of KSh5,000 per student as inadequate.
“We propose that the amount be increased to KSh10,000 per student,” he said
.Angurai East Ward representative Flora Kitui explained that 40 per cent of NG-CDF funds are allocated to bursaries, adding that the last bursary cycle attracted approximately 13,000 applicants.
She noted that total orphans receive full bursary support.
Institutional Priorities and Geographical Considerations
Participants also proposed that NG-CDF should consider the terrain and unique geographical challenges of different schools when allocating funds for infrastructure projects.
Among institutional priorities, St. Thomas Girls Secondary School in Amagoro listed the purchase of five acres of land for expansion as its top priority, followed by the completion of a three-storey dormitory, construction of a library, and equipping of a computer laboratory.
St. John’s Kajei Secondary School prioritised the construction of an eight-door pit latrine and a science laboratory.
Conclusion of Three-Day Forum
The three-day public participation exercise concluded on Friday at Kiriko in Malaba South Ward.
Common priorities across the six wards included land acquisition for schools, construction of pit latrines, administration blocks, perimeter walls, classrooms, renovation of existing facilities, and provision of school furniture.
NG-CDF Allocation and LimitationsMary Oshoromo Ikwii, chairperson of the Teso North NG-CDF Constituency Committee, noted that the NG-CDF Act, 2015 does not allow the fund to support sports activities but provides for climate change mitigation programmes, including the purchase and planting of tree seedlings in public institutions.
She further observed that Teso North Constituency has 98 primary schools and 32 secondary schools, compared to Nairobi Constituency, which has only seven primary schools and four secondary schools, yet both constituencies receive an equal NG-CDF allocation of approximately KSh280 million annually.
Bursary Committee Chairman William Okalio emphasised that public participation is a critical requirement for unlocking NG-CDF funding and ensuring that projects reflect the priorities of local communities.