Three governors gave Sh17 million from public coffers
as gifts and donations, a report by the Auditor General has revealed.
In the case of giving with one hand and taking with the other, the report says the three county bosses gobbled a staggering Sh17,458,146 for charity donations in the 2014/15 financial year.
The money is included in recurrent expenditures by the governors' offices, raising concerns that the county chiefs are using public funds for fundraising.
Without a budget breakdown, the money might have been given out in form of charity donations, handouts, contributions during harambees and as personal donations to the needy.
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But Auditor General Edward Ouko neither questioned the expenditures nor raised concern about the the value for money given as donations.
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi's budget for donations was Sh16,862,306 for the year under review but he spent Sh13,404,160, under-utilising his budget by Sh3,458,146.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago blew the Sh10 million budgeted for donations but could not convince the auditors on the value for money in the expenditure.
“There was no documentary evidence to support the donations expenditure,” notes the Auditor General.
The script is the same in Taita Taveta whose Governor John Mruttu used Sh4 million taxpayer money to fund demand from the public for donations.
Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony spent Sh780,583 of the Sh1 million he set aside for 'confidential' expenditure.
It is not clear for what purpose the budget was allocated.
Chepkwony also spent Sh3 million on tea and snacks and allocated 3.4 per cent of revenue to
a bursary scheme.
The county could also not account for cancelled bursaries amounting to Sh1.9 million for the same financial year.
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