Transport PS Esther Koimett yesterday ran into trouble after she failed to provide documents touching on audit queries.
The PS at first told lawmakers at the Public Accounts Committee chaired by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi that she had supplied the required documents.
But the legislators reprimanded her over the documents explaining a Sh295.3 million variance between the Transport ministry’s trial balance and financial statements.
On these, the PS said a total of Sh184.05 million was as a result of system-related errors and Sh54.07 million was from accounting errors.
Koimett said that she had submitted the documents on Tuesday adding that it was the auditors who had not scrutinised them.
However, the officers from Edward Ouko’s office told the committee they had not received any document from the PS.
Wandayi pointed out that the problems currently faced by the transport department have been recurrent, as similar cases were reported last year.
“Is the department jinxed or why do we have the same problems over again?” the lawmaker asked.
Hard-pressed, Koimett admitted that she had lied before the committee on submitting the documents to the auditors.
“It is true that we haven’t submitted the documents formally. I am sorry for my earlier statement,” she said.
Wandayi expressed his disappointment and questioned whether the PS has been in the habit of telling lies and not taking reports seriously.
Backed up by members, the chairman said that the committee could not proceed with the queries if responses from the statements were being retracted by the same person who submitted the responses.
"The PS was even suggesting we skip these queries saying that the department had settled with the Auditor General. But unfortunately, the officers are confirming there has never been any communication in regards to this query," Mavoko MP Patrick Makau said.
Other queries included a variance between the financial statements and the Integrated Financial Management Information System generated reports.
On financial assets, statements from the department of transport was Sh77.05 billion while Ifmis reports indicated Sh43.9 billion, a difference of Sh43.8 billion.
On financial liabilities, a variance of Sh35.5 billion was reported between figures in the financial statements and Ifmis.
The meeting was adjourned following the documentation hitch.
(edited by O. Owino)
