The National Assembly  Public Investments Committee on Social Services Administration and Agriculture today continued with the interrogation of officials from State Agencies from the list of 24 that have never been audited by the office of the Auditor-General (OAG).

The Kenya Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (KECOPAC) was the first to appear before the Committee to respond to five issues as asked by the Committee. Among the issues they were required to explain was the reason the institution’s audit books have never been reviewed by the office of the OAG.

The Director-General of the Advisory Committee Ms. Redempta Oyeyo told the Hon. Emmanuel Wangwe-led Committee that the institution was established under an Act of Parliament No. 46 of 2012 and they have been in existence since 2013. However, Ms. Oyeyo pointed out that the Agency does not operate independently as it is overseen by the State Department of Trade where they also draw the support staff and their remuneration.

"Hon. Chair, our budget comes inline with that of the State Department for Trade, therefore we do not prepare financial statements regarding our operations. As such, we are unable to avail any document to this Committee", she said. 

Further, Ms. Oyeyo asked the Committee to help the Agency by amending the Act that created it to give them powers to operate independently.

Making his contribution, (Hon. Bishop) Jackson Kosgey (Nominated) said the Ministry of Trade had deliberately failed to recognise the Kenya Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.

 "Chair, it's about the interpretation of the Act by the Ministry. I was part of the team fighting for independence from the Ministry since I had been appointed to sit in the Advisory Committee. The Agency lacks budgetary allocation.  I am making this statement as somebody who knows what is happening", Hon. Kosgey said.   

The Kenya Fish Marketing Authority was the second to appear before the Committee. However, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Samuel Onyango could not respond to the queries since the Act that created the institution was challenged in a Nyeri Court and suspended. The State appealed and the case is still active. 

Next to be questioned was the CEO Kenya Fishing Industry Corporation Dr. Micah Nyaberi. Dr. Nyaberi told the Committee that the Agency had never been audited by the OAG. 

However, it emerged that the State Department of Blue Economy and Fisheries recently wrote to his office asking for a response on audit queries. 

"The State Department for Blue Economy and Fisheries have responded to all matters raised, Chair. We have never done it. We will however be responding to issues of the 2022/2023 audit because we now have a Board that was established in 2021", he clarified.

The Committee had sought to know why the Corporation was filling audit reports through a State Department.

The last Agency to appear before the Committee was Sports Kenya which is the successor of Sports Stadia Management Board (SSMB). The Director General Mr. Pius Metto told Memberse  that the institution has been audited every year.