The Senate Committee on Public Investments and Special Funds has ordered a forensic audit into the Bungoma County Scholarship Programme during ex-governor Wycliffe Wangamati's tenure.
The committee made the recommendation after Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu raised queries concerning several funds, including the Bungoma County Education Support Scheme Fund, the Bungoma County Youth and Women Empowerment Fund and the Bungoma County Disaster Management Emergency Fund during the 2019-2020 Financial Year.
Key concerns highlighted in the report include a sum of Sh238 million which was allegedly unaccounted for as beneficiaries were either unidentified or untraceable.
“The situation warrants a thorough forensic investigation,” committee chair Geoffrey Otsosi said during a session with Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka.
Lusaka acknowledged previous efforts to address these issues, including the formation of a task force to look into the matter.
He echoed the need for transparency and accountability in fund management.
Furthermore, discrepancies in scholarship allocation and inadequate supporting documentation prompted the committee to direct the expunging of flawed records and the submission of Lusaka-initiated task force report within seven days.
The Auditor-General has been tasked with commencing a forensic audit within 60 days.
Similar concerns raised regarding the Bungoma County Disaster Management Emergency Fund prompted the committee to request a task force report for verification, with an update from the EACC within 14 days.
The committee further directed the timely submission of quarterly financial reports by Fund Administrators to the Office of the Controller of Budget as mandated by the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
The Committee has scheduled further deliberations on the Bungoma County Disaster Management Emergency Fund for a later date.
After his election, Lusaka formed the Education Scholarship Audit Task Force.
The task force prepared a report on how the scholarship programme was managed.
Wangamati unveiled the programme in January 2018 where 260 needy students admitted to national schools became the first batch of beneficiaries.
The scholarship then covered full tuition, Sh15,000 worth of shopping and transport to the schools.
Under the programme, 1, 000 needy students from each ward or 40, 000 across the county were to get a minimum of Sh10,000 towards their fees.
For students in day schools, the programme catered for Sh5,000 towards lunch.
