- The government revealed it had spent Sh42 million to lease ambulances, Sh4 million on tea and snacks and a further Sh2 million on airtime for staff.
The government has been urged to ensure prudent use of resources in the war on coronavirus.
This comes after revelations of the government's Sh1.3 billion spending on coronavirus mitigation measures, with politicians and civil society crusaders terming some costs 'bizarre'.
The government revealed it had spent Sh42 million to lease ambulances, Sh4 million on tea and snacks and a further Sh2 million on airtime for staff.
Critics of the expenditure said that the government was prioritising massive expenditure on non-core items while hundreds of Kenyans stuck in quarantine facilities are being forced to foot their bills.
The National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee warned the government and accounting officers against the misuse of public funds.
“It's not far-fetched that government bureaucrats and accounting officers are inclined to take advantage of crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic to misuse public funds. Kenya's history is replete with such cases,” PAC chairman Opiyo Wandayi said on Thursday.
The Ugunja MP maintained that “every shilling spent in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic must be accounted for” and that “anything less must call for sanctions against those involved, however, long it will take.”
The committee noted that emergency situations provide accounting officers with excuses to circumvent the law, especially the Public Finance Management Act and the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.
Law Society of Kenya president Nelson Havi posted on Twitter that the government was spending Sh42 million to lease vehicles when the same amount can purchase at least 10 ambulances.
“Is there anybody who advises this government?” wondered Havi as Kenyans made a #moneyheist hashtag trend on Twitter to express their displeasure.
Documents tabled before the National Assembly on Tuesday by the ministry of Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe revealed that the government has already exhausted the Sh1 billion given by World Bank.
The money was advanced to the government for the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), medicine and setting up of isolation facilities across the country in the Covid-19 response.
Currently, the ministry is awaiting release of an additional Sh2.3 billion from the World Bank to support the Covid-19 response for the remainder of this financial year.
However, accountability crusaders warn that the billions being spent by the government could morph into a mega scandal.
“The government must ensure that its programmes and priorities in terms of spending are backed up with clear accountability paths to avoid misappropriation n bizarre items,” said Ndung'u Wainaina.
Wainaina, the executive director of the International Center for Policy and Conflict (ICPC), told the Star that the government leaders must make every effort to ensure transparent and accountable use of resources.
“No-one should take advantage of the pandemic to enrich him/her self,” he said.
National Coordinator The National Civil Society Congress (NCSC) boss Suba Churchill amplified the need for proper accountability procedures in the use of coronavirus funds.
“It is the responsibility of the minister to lead from the front by releasing timely and accurate information on expenditure,” he said, asking the ministry to liaise with auditors to foster accountability.
Previous government efforts to mitigate national disasters have been replete with huge scandals that have claimed top government officials.
Accountability crusaders want the government to set up clear structures to track how the money released is spent and if the laid down procedures including emergency procurement are adhered to.