The National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy chaired by Hon. David Pkosing (Pokot South) has asked the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) to make public cumulative amounts of public funds which could have been lost over irregular payment of overtime allowances at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the 2019/2020 Financial year.

Hon. Pkosing issued this directive when the Committee met the KPA Management led by Managing Director (MD), Captain William Ruto, over audit queries in the Authority's books in Financial Years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021.

Revelations of possible loss of public funds through irregular payment of overtime allowances emerged after OAG noted that in Financial Year 2019/2020, some 1,337 KPA employees who worked for eight hours in a day could have been paid overtime allowances amounting to Kshs 214.6 Million. 

"Consequently, the propriety and validity of the establishment expenses of Kshs. 1.9 billion could not be confirmed," asserted the OAG.

Hon. Pkosing said a more detailed report on this query would help the Committee arrive at a more objective final position.

"We will need that Report and to complete consideration of that query to affirm our final position on this alleged malpractice," said Hon. Pkosing.

Earlier, Members put the KPA Management to task on OAG claims that the Authority could not accurately account for Kshs.6.1 Million storage containers' revenue, and that the accuracy and validity of waivers totalling Kshs242 Million could not be confirmed.

Probing the query further, Members asked Capt. Ruto to provide a copy of the Authority's policy document on waivers to confirm the MD's position that due diligence was done in award of the waivers under scrutiny.

Citing a copy of the requested waiver policy document, Capt. Ruto told the Committee that the validation process involved making the requests in writing and was documented in a Customer Notice highlighting guidelines on the waiver handling procedure.