• The stories making headlines in the Star this morning.
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Good morning,
Taxpayers may have lost as much as Sh16 billion in at least 23 state departments and agencies in the last financial year, a new audit report has revealed.
The details emerged in a dossier by the Auditor General following a review of the national government’s accounts for the financial year ending June 2018.
The findings point to a pervasive problem of missing funds, dealing a blow to development projects.
Outgoing Auditor General Edward Ouko in his last report said the failure by the ministries, departments and state agencies (MDAs) to fully support payment with documentation casts doubt on the authenticity of the expenditures reported as having been incurred.
Here are the other stories making headlines in the Star this morning.
Today's top stories in the Star. See stories https://bit.ly/2kc4RT1
Speak up on our persecution, defiant DP Ruto allies tell Uhuru
DP William Ruto’s allies now want President Uhuru Kenyatta to come clean on what they describe as a vicious state clampdown on them.
The politicians who spoke to the Star yesterday claimed Kenyatta must speak up on their “ongoing persecution” by security agents under Fred Matiangi’s Ministry of Interior.
MPs reject Treasury's renewed push to revoke interest caps
Members of the National Assembly on Monday stood firm against Treasury’s renewed push to repeal capping of interest rates.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Finance and National Planning committee, acting Treasury CS Ukur Yatani argued that the move is an impediment to the country’s economic growth.
He said the ceiling has hurt credit growth and access to borrowing and should be reviewed as it has curtailed borrowing by the private sector.
KNH staff call off strike after state promises to pay arrears
Kenyatta National Hospital staff resumed work on Monday evening after the government promised to pay their arrears.
The agreement, signed on Monday, says the workers will be paid their arrears beginning October.
It was signed by the hospital management, staff representatives, officials of the State Corporations Advisory Board and leaders of the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospital Workers (Kudheiha).
Dead pile up in City Mortuary: Five bodies packed in space for one
City Mortuary receives more than 10 bodies daily, most of which have decomposed.
The 63-year-old morgue located on the junction of Ngong’ Road and Mbagathi Way should handle 176 bodies. However, it currently holds more than 300 corpses.
With about 28 attendants and eight clerical officers, its employees say they are overstretched.
Uhuru's Blue Economy making headway
President Uhuru Kenyatta's agenda for the Blue Economy has gained momentum.
The President has personally been overseeing the development of the Shimoni Fish Port, the Lamu Port and the Kisumu Port.
The marine sector has been neglected.
While touring Lamu on Sunday, Uhuru announced that the first berth of the new Lamu Port will be opened on October 20.