NaMATA battles fresh graft claims as past audit queries resurface
Last year, a parliamentary committee questioned the authority over chronic underperformance in budget implementation, despite receiving Sh602 million out of a budgeted Sh1.13 billion, while leaving Sh466 million unspent. MPs also flagged Sh7.7 million in outstanding imprests issued contrary to public finance regulations, Sh3.9 million in questionable hospitality expenditure, Sh1.66 million in board expenses charged to the wrong financial year and Sh23 million paid in acting allowances to officers who had remained in acting positions for more than four years.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA) has moved to defend two of its senior officials against allegations of corruption and fake academic certificates, insisting the claims are false even as the agency continues to grapple with unresolved audit queries that have previously attracted sharp criticism from Parliament.
In a public notice, the authority dismissed reports circulating on social media and some media platforms targeting Rose Soila Shunet and CPA Brian Kipsang Kiptoo, describing the allegations as malicious and intended to damage their reputations.
NaMATA said it had independently verified the officers’ academic and professional credentials, confirming that both hold master’s degrees and are members in good standing of their respective professional bodies.
“The allegations are false and are meant to prejudice the staff,” the authority said, adding that the information was being spread by both internal and external actors with the intention of discrediting the officers and undermining the institution.
The agency urged members of the public to disregard the allegations as investigations continue, maintaining that the claims had not disrupted its mandate of planning and coordinating the rollout of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area’s multi-billion-shilling Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system.
The fresh controversy comes against the backdrop of persistent governance and financial accountability concerns that have dogged the authority.
Last year, NaMATA faced intense scrutiny before the National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy over a series of audit queries covering the 2019/20 to 2022/23 financial years.
The committee questioned the authority over chronic underperformance in budget implementation, despite receiving Sh602 million out of a budgeted Sh1.13 billion, while leaving Sh466 million unspent.
MPs also flagged Sh7.7 million in outstanding imprests issued contrary to public finance regulations, Sh3.9 million in questionable hospitality expenditure, Sh1.66 million in board expenses charged to the wrong financial year and Sh23 million paid in acting allowances to officers who had remained in acting positions for more than four years.
The committee further questioned NaMATA over Sh1.8 billion in development expenditure that exceeded the approved budget by 256 per cent without evidence of Treasury approval, as well as Sh2.1 billion in pending bills, including Sh1.9 billion owed to a contractor undertaking Bus Rapid Transit works along Thika Road.
At the time, Director General Eng. Francis Gitau acknowledged several of the audit findings and told MPs the authority had begun implementing corrective measures, including strengthening financial controls, automating accounting systems and seeking additional Treasury approvals.
Despite those assurances, lawmakers insisted that NaMATA must demonstrate greater transparency and accountability in the management of public resources as it oversees one of Kenya’s largest urban transport infrastructure programmes.
