In its continued engagement of Higher Learning Institutions on Audit Reports, the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance today undertook an inspection tour of Machakos University, and held a meeting with the management led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Joyce Agalo.

The Committee’s delegation led by Chairman Hon. Jack Wanami Wamboka (Bumula) toured the stalled construction project of a Tuition and Office block at the University to ascertain its completion status, following concerns raised by the Office of the Auditor General. Despite its incomplete status, the Legislators were impressed with the workmanship displayed, describing it as the best project they’ve so-far encountered across Universities.

According to reports by the Auditor General, the University entered into a contract with a local firm for the construction of a tuition and office block at a contract sum of Kshs. 986,761,116 on 20 July 2017 for a period of one hundred and fifty-six (156) weeks .

However, the contract period was subsequently revised to three hundred and twenty-two(322)weeks with a revised completion date of 5 April, 2024.

The Quantity Surveyor who spoke to MPs, expounded that the contract period has been reviewed six times, although the University reported that 55% payment of the total contract sum has been made so far.

Despite the commendable progress of work, the Vice Chancellor and her team made submissions of responses to Audit questions late to the Auditors, prompting the Committee Chairperson to impose a fine of Kshs. 500,000 on her, to be sourced from personal coffers and handed to the Clerk of the National Assembly in the scheduled next meeting.

Among the other Audit issues flagged in the Institution’s books were: repeated advance payments to suppliers and service providers without security.

“The attempt to circumvent the law doesn’t make your processes lawful, even though it’s clear that your intention was to beat the treasury deadlines,” emphasized Chairman Wamboka. “Payment of 100% costs before service delivery is illegal.”

Irregular payment of allowances (Kshs. 555,3000) to officers attending a Senate retreat and security expenses (Kshs.2,916,883) without satisfactory explanations was also a matter of concern.

“The fact that the council approved an irregular payment does not get you as Principal off the hook. The payment still remains illegal and someone has to be held accountable and sur-charged for the same.” Stated Hon. Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West).

The Committee resolved that the monies ought to be refunded with the chairman stating “it’s the view of the Committee that the sum 2.916M must be recovered from the then Vice Chancellor, Head of Security, and the Security officers who were paid this monies irregularly.”

Further the University was on the spotlight for failure to adhere to the NCIC Act 7(2) on Ethnic diversity as 290 out of 482 (60%) employees are from the same ethnic community.

However the management told the MPs that they’re currently at 52% dominance and working on improving the situation in the next two years.

On matters revenue-raising, MPs sought to know how Machakos University supplements Government funding.

“Apart from capitation from the Government, what other sources of revenue does the university have that supplements their finances?” Posed Hon. Francis Sigei (Sotik).

The VC responded that their major source of alternative income is the  Hotel business which is a teaching facility for the hospitality department, that raised about 130M in the last financial year.

The Committee has urged the VC to consider delving into farming as an option.