The State Department for Livestock lost more than Sh31 million in a milk plant equipment deal in Kitui County, a House committee heard.
National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee was told the department paid the money for four defective coolers for farmers' cooperative societies.
The committee chaired by John Mbadi heard the government purchased the coolers for Mwiwe, Tagho, Masii and Yatta cooperative societies to support dairy farming.
Principal Secretary State Department for Livestock Harry Kimtai made the revelations during his submissions on the audited reports for the department for the 2020/2021 Financial Year.
The Committee asked the PS to take action against officers who misled the department into paying for faulty equipment.
"Make sure you take administrative action against officers who misled you on this matter," Mbadi told the PS.
The Committee also learnt that the department could not account for Sh18 million, proceeds from the sale of certified seeds, breed stocks inventories and commodities.
Another audit query arouse from the failure to account for Sh43.7 million collected from four Agricultural Training Institutes.
The funds were collected Industry Training institute -Ndombi, the Meat Training Institute in Machakos, the Animal Health Training Institute of Nyahururu and the Naivasha Dairy Training Institute.
The department said the funds were spent at the source upon collection.
The PS noted that the Livestock Bill which is at the draft stage will address most of the shortcomings in the management of the resources at the Department’s institutions.
