Controversy Surrounds the Support File for Associations in Kenitra and Calls for the Provincial Governor’s Intervention to Postpone Approval and Re-examine Applications
The management of the support file allocated to associations in the municipality of Kenitra has sparked a wave of criticism within civil society and the local public, due to what many association members have deemed “serious discrepancies in the evaluation of projects and the disbursement of funds,” calling for a comprehensive audit and a delay in approving the proposed list.
Several associations expressed their astonishment at the absence of clear and objective criteria in selecting beneficiary associations, as well as the variations in the amounts of support granted without justification from the relevant authorities, despite the submission of projects that address the city’s needs and target a wide range of youth.
In this context, the “Volunteer” association, in a statement received by the newspaper, expressed its surprise at the composition of the committee responsible for reviewing the files, which includes members who “lack academic and technical training in project evaluation or financial management,” which the association considered “a blow to the credibility of the entire process.”
The statement also highlighted glaring discrepancies in the disbursement of support, with some associations receiving 100,000 dirhams, while others received no more than 20,000 dirhams, despite the fact that some projects subject to a 50% reduction fall within programs that have a clear field impact.
The association also condemned the treatment of the support file for one of the associations that organized a “Theatre Festival,” which successfully executed the project, only to be surprised by a notification from the municipality asserting that the activity occurred before the designated time, which the association described as “illogical and unprofessional.”
The “Volunteer” association called on the provincial governor of Kenitra to intervene to protect public funds and ensure transparency in the disbursement of support, and urged the head of the municipality to postpone the approval of the support item during the council session, as well as to open an institutional dialogue with the associative network to determine the city’s priorities through a participatory and responsible approach.