The audit report for the financial year ending June 2019 indicate that while statement receipts kept at the irrigation department indicate that it spent Sh8,296,013,796, details of those paid could not be traced.
The Auditor General has also questioned how Sh1.1 billion meant for acquisition of assets for the department was re-allocated and used for domestic travel without any approval either from the board or the ministry.
Also in question is the procurement of goods worth Sh6.5 million for various departments however, the auditor says there was no evaluation report, approved budget for the purchase of the items nor original quotation forms used for the procurement of the assorted goods.
The State department of irrigation is on the spot over misuse of billions of shillings allocated to various projects. This is according to Auditor General’s report tabled in Parliament.
On top of the amount questioned by the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu is Sh8.2 billion spent by the department but details of the payees are lacking in the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS),
The audit report for the financial year ending June 2019 indicate that while statement receipts kept at the irrigation department indicate that it spent Sh8,296,013,796, details of those paid could not be traced.
“The IFMIS general ledger report on the expenditure item lacked details of payees against the payments. Under the circumstances, the payments cannot be posted in the cash book and confirmed in the bank statement for lack of payee details,” reads the report.
The Auditor General has also questioned how Sh1.1 billion meant for acquisition of assets for the department was re-allocated and used for domestic travel without any approval either from the board or the ministry.
“No approval was sought for the relocation of funds and no explanation was given for posting domestic travel expenditure to acquisition of assets,” reads the audit report.
The Auditor General has also raised queries over wasteful expenditure amounting to Sh26 million which was used to procure branded caps, tops, polo shirts, men’ shirt and corporate uniform for the aborted launching of the Thwake multi-purpose dam project. According to the report, when the audit team visited the department’s stores they found out that the items are still lying idle at the stores and had not been issued.
“The expenditure of Sh26, 915,000 is therefore wasteful and could have been avoided,” reads the report.
Also in question is the procurement of goods worth Sh6.5 million for various departments however, the auditor says there was no evaluation report, approved budget for the purchase of the items nor original quotation forms used for the procurement of the assorted goods.
Although the report does not indicate whether the Sh6.5 million has been lost, the auditor says it is not possible to determine whether the items were procured in accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act, 2015
Further, the Auditor General has also questioned the expenditure of Sh4 million that was meant for purchase for fuel which includes petrol, diesel, oil and lubricants.
According to the report, out Sh4 million budgeted for purchase of fuel, Sh3 million cannot be accounted for by the department as it failed to provide any supporting documents and records on how the fuel was consumed.
“Under the circumstances, the completeness and accuracy of the expenditure of Sh4 million incurred on petrol, diesel, oil and lubricants cannot be confirmed,” reads the report.
The Auditor General has also questioned why the State department procured 10,000 file folders at a cumulative cost of Sh1.9 million while there was no evidence that the user department needed the files.
“There was no documentary evidence to show that the user department had requested for the folders. The stores department also did not document the optimal stock, re-order levels, minimum and maximum stock to hold,” reads the report.
Ms Gathungu has also questioned how the State department procured air tickets worth Sh772, 360 to senior officers to attend a conference in Zambia on 2019
The report indicates that the management failed to explain why the contract was awarded to the second lowest bidder with a quote of Sh722, 360 instead of the lowest who had quoted Sh620, 920
The same firm according to the report was also paid a further Sh1.1 million for air tickets for officers who travelled to Istanbul, Turkey to attend Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum.
The Auditor General however says the payment voucher was not supported by relevant documentary evidence making it hard to confirm whether public funds was properly utilised.
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