NIS, Army told to pay for security equipment installation in forests

The State security and communication agencies will be compelled to settle a bill of Sh82.5 million for equipment installed in public forests, if Parliament adopts a new report by the Public Investment Committee.

The committee has asked the National Intelligence Service, Kenya Army, Kenya Police and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation to pay Kenya Forest Service (KFS) for the space occupied by the installations within two months of adoption of its report by the National Assembly.

KFS is seeking Sh82.5 million from State agencies which have installed security and transmission equipment in various gazetted forest areas, but they claim they offer essential services to the country.

“The committee recommends that notwithstanding the purpose, NIS, Kenya Police, KBC and all other government agencies having installations at gazetted forests should pay the money owed to KFS…” the Investment committee said.

The recommendation follows the Auditor-General’s query on 2011/12 KFS accounts which show an outstanding debt Sh251.4 million, 33 per cent of which is owed by the State agencies.

The KFS managing director David Mbugua informed PIC that the agency’s directors and the parent Ministry of Environment resolved to involve the Treasury, Attorney-General and the National Assembly for direction on the matter.

“The management informed the committee that the service issued invoices to all government agencies which have installations in gazetted forests, some responded positively while others such as NIS and Kenya Police argued that the installations in the forests are all used for security purposes and for the public good,” PIC said in its 19th report on the audited financial statements of State corporations.

The committee recommends that KFS files a status report to the House in four months.