Public Accounts Committee probes Roads and MSME departments over the Auditor General’s queries for the financial year 2022/23

Public Accounts Committee probes Roads and MSME departments over the Auditor General’s queries for the financial year 2022/23

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓. 
𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.

The National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday put top government officials to task over financial irregularities flagged in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year ended June 30, 2023.

During the morning session, the committee, chaired by Butere MP Hon. Tindi Mwale, scrutinized the expenditures of the State Department for Roads, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). 

Appearing before the committee were the Principal Secretary for Roads Eng. Joseph Mbugua, KURA Director-General Eng. Silas Kinoti, KeRRA Director-General Philemon Kandie, and senior officials from the Ministry of Roads and Infrastructure.

The lawmakers raised concerns over financial inefficiencies, stalled projects, budgetary misallocations, and delayed contractor payments. 

The officials were pressed to explain procurement anomalies, cost overruns, and slow project implementation, which have stalled key infrastructure initiatives across the country.

Eng. Mbugua defended his department, attributing delays to procurement bottlenecks, budget constraints, and unpredictable weather conditions. He assured the committee that corrective measures were being implemented to enhance accountability and improve efficiency in road construction and maintenance.

Eng. Kinoti and Eng. Kandie detailed ongoing efforts to accelerate stalled road projects and improve service delivery but faced further scrutiny from the committee, which demanded concrete steps to curb inefficiencies in the sector.

In the afternoon, the committee turned its focus to the State Department for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development. Principal Secretary Susan Auma Mang’eni, accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Cooperative and MSMEs, faced questions on fund utilization and the effectiveness of government-led entrepreneurship support programs.

Lawmakers sought explanations regarding discrepancies in expenditure, unaccounted funds, and the impact of disbursed loans and grants on small-scale entrepreneurs.

PS Mang’eni defended her department’s efforts, emphasizing transparency in financial management and policy execution. 

She outlined measures taken to address inefficiencies, including enhanced fund monitoring and improved collaboration with cooperative societies to ensure equitable resource distribution.

Hon. Mwale reiterated the importance of fiscal accountability in public service, urging officials to fully implement audit recommendations and streamline operations to safeguard public funds.

The committee is expected to compile a comprehensive report and table before the House for further action.