• Auditor General Nancy Gathungu said no explanations were provided for the irregular diversion of funds.
• The anomalies ranged from diversion of funds from intended use, unaccounted for bursary spending and procurements exceeding the set limits.
Image: FILE
Details have emerged of misuse of millions of shillings at the National Government Affirmative Action Fund, putting 10 woman representatives on the spot.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu said there were irregular expenditures in excess of Sh54 million in Kilifi, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Kwale, Homa Bay and Kisumu.
The queried funds are under the patronage of Getrude Mbeyu (Kilifi), Purity Ngirici (Kirinyaga), Rahab Mukami (Nyeri), Faith Gitau (Nyandarua), Kawira Mwangaza (Meru), Beatrice Nkatha (Tharaka Nithi), Jane Wanjiku (Embu), Zuleikha Hassan (Kwale), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) and Roza Buyu (Kisumu).
The anomalies ranged from diversion of funds from intended use, unaccounted for bursary spending to procurements exceeding the set limits.
In Kwale, the auditor reported that 28 groups were funded at Sh9.6 million, yet they did not qualify for funding. The groups had failed to meet the threshold of 100 members.
Gathungu, in the report for the year to June 2020, said there was a problem since groups must have existed for at least six months, with funding of at least Sh300,000.
Neither the resolutions of properly constituted meetings nor the agreements between the county committee and the beneficiary groups were provided for audit review.
She further flagged projects worth Sh14 million, which were undertaken without public participation, and another Sh4.2 million spent on ineligible projects.
The county committee used the same members for both opening and evaluation of various tenders in breach of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.
“Further, the committee was paid allowances of Sh50,000 and Sh39,000 for undertaking the opening and evaluating of the tenders respectively.”
In Embu, no evidence was provided to confirm how 600 students were identified for bursary awards to the tune of Sh4.5 million.
In addition, beneficiaries of bursaries amounting to Sh2.17 million had not acknowledged receipt.
“It was, therefore, not possible to ascertain whether the award was merit-based and whether the bursary funds were for the beneficial use of the intended institutions and individuals,” Gathungu said.
Some Sh1.2 million spent on boda boda training was flagged and Sh390,000 spent on Covid-19 emergencies.
“It was observed that the direct method of procurement through cash was applied in the procurement of the items despite the value exceeding the low-value threshold for procurement.”
In Tharaka Nithi, a self-help group was granted Sh165,000 to buy an incubator for hatching chicks, but members diverted the money to purchase a motorbike at Sh106,000 and shared the Sh59,000 amongst themselves.
Another group comprising persons living with disability was granted Sh189,000 for a similar cause but diverted the funds and shared each Sh10,000 among 16 members. The rest was used for table banking.
Gathungu said no explanation was provided for the irregular diversions.
Tharaka Nithi NGAAF awarded Sh3.7 million bursaries to 600 students, but the beneficiary institutions did not acknowledge receipt of Sh3.3 million.
“It was not possible to ascertain whether the funds were put to the beneficial use of the intended institutions and individuals.”
Also queried is the construction of Mwangaza GBV Rescue Centre for Sh38 million by Meru NGAAF. The auditor said there was no evidence the beneficiary CBO is registered by the government.
No evidence was provided to confirm that the facility was attached to one with a related mandate. The auditor said it was unclear how the facility would be run on a daily basis.
Meru NGAAF could not explain the validity of Sh8.3 million spent on bursaries for 600 students in the county, as there was no evidence of public participation.
Nyandarua NGAAF provided bursaries to 291 university students to the tune of Sh3.2 million contrary to the funding guidelines.
In Nyeri, the auditor raised concerns the NGAAF committee was yet to rewrite stale cheques amounting to Sh3.3 million - with some dating back to July 1, 2017.
In Kirinyaga, Kamiriji Progressive Youth Group received Sh100,000 for chicken rearing project, but the group diverted the funding to table banking project without the approval of the Fund and the Board.
Kilifi NGAAF incurred an expenditure of Sh5.7 million for items that did not qualify for direct procurement.
In Homa Bay, the auditor said NGAAF management breached the law on the construction of market sheds and pit latrines at Rangwe market at Sh15.5 million.
Gathungu said the procurement was irregular as the cost of the project exceeded the stipulated threshold of Sh4,000,000 on the use of the request for quotations method of procurement.
In Kisumu, a contractor was irregularly awarded a tender of Sh11.7 million for the construction of Akado market.
The auditor cited lack of audited accounts for three years, bank accounts of the company with six months’ statement and proof of work of similar magnitude undertaken by the firm.
Edited by A.N