KPA MD Ruto at pains to explain audit queries before National Assembly
The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director Captain William Ruto was yesterday put to task to explain audit queries over questionable expenditures including staff allowances, containers storage fees among others.
While appearing before the National Assembly Public Investments Committee (PIC) yesterday, Ruto was at pains to respond to a raft on audit queries flagged by the Office of the Auditor General.
In his first appearance before a Parliamentary Committee since he was appointed as the Authority’s boss, Capt. Ruto found himself meshed in a tight corner as he struggled to provide convincing responses before David Pkosing led committee that subjected him to hours of grilling as the MPs sought to understand the actual position in relation to the audit queries.
Of particular concern to the Committee was the alleged “Under-Charging of Revenue from Storage of Containers” as observed by the Office of the Auditor General whereby “…cargo that had not been cleared within the seven days had accumulated storage fees of Sh242,268,925 which were not secured by the Management.”
Further, storage waiver amounting to Sh24,885,400 was granted to customers on grounds of financial challenges but the KPA management failed to provide supporting documents or explanations on how the amount was computed, in an observation which the auditor general’s office considered “unsatisfactory.” In his response, the KPA boss stated that the waivers highlighted were revalidated and cargo evacuated from port.
