Mystery Unfolds: Ksh.8.2B Vanishes in Marsabit County
Marsabit County is at risk of a budget reduction of more than 160 million shillings due to a negative assessment by the Auditor General regarding the utilization of funds allocated to the county during the 2020/2021 fiscal year.
As per the findings of the Auditor General, the county was unable to explain the whereabouts of the 8.2 billion shillings it had received, as the financial statements provided did not align with the existing records. Consequently, due to this unfavorable assessment, the county forfeits eligibility for any funding under the Kenya Devolution Support Program.
Moses Kajwang, the Chairperson of the Senate PAC, expressed concern, stating, “Our friends in the National Assembly who have proposed 391 billion will ask us why do you want us to send more money if the 8.2 billion we send to Marsabit County could not be accounted for.”
Governor Mohammud Ali of Marsabit responded, “In that particular year, we had that problem, but please note that even before, it was as a result of improvement by our team that we qualified to get that 161 million. Unfortunately, in this particular year, as you rightly observed, something has happened, and as I have said, I have taken some action.”
However, Senators expressed concerns regarding Governor Mohammud’s decisions. Even though the financial department’s officers were held responsible for the financial discrepancies, the governor only relocated them within the department.
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Senator Samson Cherargei of Nandi questioned, “When you say you’re improving, are you admitting there were incapacity issues in terms of that department that was supposed to do their jobs?”
Governor Mohammud admitted, “Of course, I have observed there was underperformance from that team. Wario is here as Director of Budget, but at that time, he was acting chief officer. So if he was acting and he ensured you get an adverse opinion and you rewarded him, Director of Budget, then that is not administrative action.”
The committee decided to bring forth a proposal to the Senate, suggesting that accountants from counties receiving unfavorable opinions should be deemed unsuitable for public office. Additionally, Governor Mohammud faced scrutiny for submitting audit-related documents to the committee that lacked dates and certification.
Moses Kajwang urged, “I want to urge the governor to take leadership and ensure there is a meeting between your finance team and the office of the Auditor General so that they can authenticate all the records that come to the Senate.”
The committee is investigating various concerns, such as discrepancies in cash and cash equivalents totaling 834 million shillings, unsupported county-generated receipts worth 107 million shillings, financial statements overestimating by a total of 2.5 billion shillings, and unsupported spending on goods and services amounting to 738 million shillings.
Mystery Unfolds: Ksh.8.2B Vanishes in Marsabit County