- The 2019-20 financial audit report by auditor general Nancy Gathungu was tabled in the Senate two weeks ago.
- The report reveals that the county risks losing a total of Sh27.35 million in the stalled construction of Kiraitu and his deputy’s official residences.
Governor Kiraitu Murungi and his deputy Titus Ntuchiu’s residences are among the stalled or delayed Sh657.30 million projects in Meru.
Some 281 projects threaten to sink millions of taxpayers’ money.
The auditor general has blamed this on poor project planning and implementation by the county government.
The latest audit report also indicts the county for failing to account for several expenditures as it reveals that huge pending bills weighing down the devolved unit.
The 2019-20 financial audit report by auditor general Nancy Gathungu was tabled in the Senate two weeks ago.
The report reveals that the county risks losing Sh27.35 million in the stalled construction of Kiraitu and his deputy’s official residences.
According to the report, the county government paid Sh18.59 million to a firm for the construction of the governor’s residence in Meru town.
The payment, which was 14.6 per cent of the Sh127.12 million contract, was for the first certificate dated March 29, 2019.
The contract was supposed to run for 24 weeks, from April 14, 2019 to October 15, 2020.
However, physical verification carried out on October 21, 2020 revealed that the project was incomplete, the contractor was not on site and the projects had stalled.
“In the circumstances, the value for money for the expenditure of Sh18.59 million on the construction of the governor’s residence has not been realised,” the report reads.
In addition, the county executive paid Sh8.76 million for the construction of deputy governor’s residence.
However, the project which was supposed to be completed on April 14, 2019 stalled, putting the money already pumped into the project at risk of loss.
Overall, the governor initiated 874 projects worth Sh3.25 billion during the year under review.
Out of the total, 593 projects valued at Sh2.59 billion were completed, 265 projects worth Sh574.40 million were ongoing while 19 projects with a budget of Sh82.90 million have not started.
“In the view of the foregoing, the residents did not get the planned services equivalent to the 262 ongoing projects worth Sh574.40 million and 19 projects worth Sh82.90 million not started both amounting to Sh657.30 million,” the report states.
Gathungu flagged the huge pending bills accumulated by the county government.
As at June 30, 2020, the debt stood at Sh1.82 billion with the county officers unable to explain why the bills were not settled.
“Failure to settle pending bills during the year in which they relate to distorts the financial statements and adversely affects the budgetary provisions for the subsequent year as they form a first charge,” the report reads.
Gathungu revealed several inaccuracies in the county’s accounting books and unexplained expenditures by the county executive.
For instance, the county reported acquiring strategic stocks and commodities relating to purchase of milk for ECDE children at cost of Sh50.69 million.
However, the county officials could not provide crucial supporting documents including delivery notes and list of the recipient school to authenticate the expenditure.
“In the circumstances, the accuracy, completeness and validity for the expenditure of Sh50.69 million in respect to acquisition of strategic stocks and commodities for the year ended June 30, 2020 could not be confirmed,” the document states.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)