Natembeya on Spot as Auditor General Exposes Ksh95M Hole in Trans Nzoia Financial Reports
A recent audit conducted by the Office of the Auditor General on the financial statements of County Executives for the fiscal year 2022-2023 has unveiled significant amounts of funds being misappropriated by several governors.
The report states that Trans Nzoia County engaged casual employees irregularly and compensated them for over twelve months of work.
Of the 702 casual laborers assigned to different County departments, 682 exceeded the stipulated three-month duration of engagement.
The Auditor General also pointed out that there was no evidence to verify whether the temporary employees were sanctioned by the County Public Service Board as required by Section 37(3) of the Employment Act, 2007.
Also, Ksh95,827,225 was disbursed to five hundred and fifteen temporary workers, representing payment for their employment spanning over a period exceeding twelve months.
“In the circumstances, management was in breach of the law,” the report notes.
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The report also raised a red flag regarding the disbursement of Ksh103,341,955 in 2023, which occurred outside the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database.
The Attorney General made it clear that they had concerns about the County Executive’s reliance on Excel spreadsheets, noting their vulnerability to manipulation.
“Multiple payments of arrears ranging from one to twelve times per employee within a year, totaling Ksh136,420,125 and the absence of proper documentation and explanations for these high-frequency arrears payments casts doubt on the legality and accuracy of the payments,” the report questioned.
In summary, the report has found discrepancies between the bank balances recorded in the cash book and those indicated in the county’s Development, Climate Change, and deposit accounts.
“In the circumstances, the accuracy and completeness of the bank balance of Ksh250,580,997 could not be confirmed.”
Meru County, under the leadership of Kawira Mwangaza, was among the devolved regions that recorded minimal cases of looting, as indicated in the report.
Natembeya on Spot as Auditor General Exposes Ksh95M Hole in Trans Nzoia Financial Reports