Three PSs given 7 day ultimatum to account for Sh3billion relief food fund
Three Principal Secretaries have been given a seven day ultimatum to account for Sh3.3 billion relief food fund.
Interior PS Karanja Kibicho, Julius Korir (Devolution) and Arid and Semi Arid Lands PS Micah Puwon are accused of spending Sh3.3 billion on emergency relief food and refugee assistance.
The National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) directed the three PSs involved to come with an explanation on how the Sh3.3 billion was spent.
“I am giving you up to Monday next week to sit down with Kibicho and your counterpart Korir from Devolution and come up with a report of how the money was spent,” the committee said.
They were also told to send monthly reports showing the names of persons that received the food and how the funds provided for transport were utilised.
In June 2018, Kibicho’s ministry distributed a total of Sh7,097,393,359 supplies to famine-stricken counties however the State Department have failed to account for the Sh3.3 billion expenditure.
This comes after the Auditor General raised questions about the expenditure of the money.
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu said the documentation for distribution to the beneficiaries and the basis for selection of beneficiaries were not provided for audit scrutiny.
She added that there was no accountability for Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) sent to the County Commissioners for transport as evidenced by the counties, which could not fully account for Sh1.7 million AIEs sent to them.
The auditor cast doubt on the validity of the expenditure and value for money to the citizens could not be confirmed.
This comes as the country is facing drought in different parts.
Earlier this month, President Uhuru Kenyatta declared the ongoing drought a national disaster.
The National Treasury released Sh2 billion towards drought mitigation as directed by the President.
At least 12 counties are currently feeling the effects of the drought with Kenya Red Cross warning that affected counties could rise to 23.
