Auditor General on the spot over Kemsa audit 'typing error'

The auditor general has revised the audit query of a company linked to the Kemsa scandal saying the unexplained amount was Sh34.9 million instead of the reported Sh340.9 million.

The office is on the spot amid questions by MPs at the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on how the auditor commissioned the error.

OAG had stated that Nanopay faced the multi-million shilling query but its officials on Tuesday informed the Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir-led committee of the change.

The officers said the figure involving supplies of Covid-19 emergency response kits to Kemsa was changed by an unknown person.

Nanopay was earlier reported to have supplied 50,000 pieces of facemasks at Sh340 million but the figure has now been reduced to Sh34 million.

MPs were also informed that the query involving Shop N Buy – another firm implicated in the Covid19 supplies scandal, was also changed but the officers could not state the amount.

An officer cited a typing error adding that the correct figure was Sh34 million.

The company’s directors were set to appear before the committee to answer to the queries but none turned up.

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu informed Parliament of the error in an addendum to the Special Audit Report on the utilization of Covid-19 funds.

“We wish to clarify an error occurring in pages 18 and 41 of the special report on the amount of Nanopay,” the auditor said.

MPs at the committee cast aspersions on the corrections and the explanation the same as a result of a typing error.

MP Nassir asked the Auditor General to furnish the committee with a report on the said errors as soon as possible.

Lawmakers at the committee questioned how an audit report which passes through many hands can end up with erratic findings.

Likoni MP Mishi Mboko, her Ganze counterpart Teddy Mwambire, Ruaraka’s Tom Kajwang’ spoke of the matter citing their concerns with the increasing cases of errors in public records.

Mwambire said: “The committee should get to the bottom of the matter when the witness appears before us in person.”

Kajwang’ said the committee will consider reconciling the figures with the directors of the two firms when they come.

MPs further took issue with directors of Nanopay and Shop N Buy having failed to appear before the committee a second time.

Nairobi MP Esther Passaris reprimanded the suppliers for treating the committee with contempt after one of the companies – Nanopay - sent a letter of apology to the team.