The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education today met with various parastatals summoned to present on audit queries contained in reports of the Auditor General. The reports cover the last 3 financial years running up to 2020/21.

The committee chaired by Hon. Jack Wamboka (Bumula), in line with its mandate to examine reports of the Auditor General on Public Investments, sought responses from the parastatal heads. The Office of the Auditor General and National Treasury were in attendance to offer clarity on compliance issues by the parastatals.

The Audit Committee sought answers to audit queries raised from the financial statements of these institutions by the Office of the Auditor General for the last four financial years dating back to 2017/2018.

Some of the major issues highlighted by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu included Long Outstanding receivables, and Deteriorating Financial performance, un-authorized remuneration of Directors, Irregular procurement of services, under-expenditure of monies allocated to the entities, among other issues.

The Managing Director of the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation David Mwaniki was taken to task to explain the need for their continued existence despite the various shortcomings including under-expenditure of their budgeted money. The foundation is seeking more facilitation in acquisition of more government orders.  MPs showed concern with the decreased orders, alluding to the Foundation’s under performance.

“It looks like the Foundation now seeks to scale down on Publishing and focus on Scholarships, which raises our concerns. Why should you abandon your main mandate and focus on secondary roles?” Posed Chair Hon. Wamboka.

Various parastatals appearing before the committee were instructed to liaise with the Auditor General’s Office to best understand the auditing processes and furnish the committee with relevant information.  The Hon chairman, issued this directive after the legislators noted the failure by the Parastatal heads to give sufficient responses to the audit queries.

Each parastatal was given a date to appear again before the committee and they include: the Commission for University Education, Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, Higher Educations Loans Board, Auctioneers Licensing Board and National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI).
 
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) was instructed to provide information on a stalled project with the committee intending to conduct a site visit over the audit query.
 
Kenya Utalii College, Kenya literature Bureau and Kenya National Examinations Council failed to appear before the committee as expected.
 
Kenya Institute of Special Education responded successfully to its audit queries.
 
The committee is slated to have more parastatals appear before it to respond to their audit queries.

National Assembly, 08/03/2023