PIC- Governance and education engages learning institutions on audit questions, denotes recurrent worrying trends

PIC- Governance and education engages learning institutions on audit questions, denotes recurrent worrying trends

National Assembly, Bunge Towers 
Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Higher learning institutions from across the country have consistently blamed their failure to efficiently deliver their mandates on lack of capitation or delayed disbursement of funds by the National Treasury. 

This trend, also noted in today’s meetings by the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education, has raised concerns among MPs who now believe this has become a safe landing spot for Principals who are unable to sufficiently answer Audit questions posed by the Office of the Auditor General. 

In a series of meetings held today, the first session chaired by Committee chairperson Hon. Wanami Wamboka (Bumula) saw the first appearance by Tharaka University sail smoothly with nearly all the highlighted Audit Queries sufficiently resolved. 

Second to appear before the MPs was Laikipia University management who went through tough scrutiny since they had failed to provide responses to the Auditor General for the FY 2021/2022 report. 

Hon. Wamboka questioned the preparations of the Account Manager and invoked standing order 191 (a) for the Vice Chancellor to pay a fine of Ksh.500,000 from personal coffers, and avail the bankers cheque in 2 weeks to the Clerk of the National Assembly, after failing to honor the orders of the Committee.

The third session which was chaired by Committee vice-chairperson Hon. Anthony Kibagendi was with Konoin Technical Training Institute Principal Wesley Sigei who was flagged for also failing to sufficiently resolve Audit issues. 

“It’s unpallatable that the school principal can appear before this Committee to answer audit queries, and then tell us that he is not sure if the Auditor asked for documentations,” remarked Hon. Rebecca Tonkei. 

Among the issues were: unsupported investment of Kshs. 4M in a SACCO without proper documentation, inaccuracy in Board allowances, lack of an Internal Auditor, and lack of Management Information System, as well as an irregular ethnic composition. But the school principal was ill-prepared to respond to the MPs concerns and was given more time to prepare for a reappearance. 

“You have an incompetent accounting head, or the incompetency is on the side of the management, for failing to acquaint yourselves with the issues scheduled for consideration by this Committee, and not providing the necessary documentation.” Stated Hon. Kakai Bisau. 

Fourth to appear before the Committee was Kasarani Technical and Vocational Training College principal Josephine Begi who was questioned on among others: inaccuracies in their financial statements, unsupported balances, irregular procurement of Property, plant and equipment, unsupported remuneration of Board Members, and lack of land ownership documents.

Making an appearance before the Committee in the afternoon session was Bumbe Technical Training Institute principal Celestus Wanjala Omilo who responded to various Audit questions. Omilo, who told the Committee that he has served at the institution for barely a year, had a hard time answering MPs questions, and his predecessor who retired last year had to step in.

The institution was questioned on Unsecured Bank Loans, poor budgetary controls and performance, unsupported payment of allowances to Board members, unsupported expenditure and use of goods and services, among other Audit issues. 

Last to appear before the Committee session today was Musakasa Technical Training Institute Principal Moses Kiiza Sakwa. The institution despite a few unresolved Audit issues, displayed impressive performance in responding to the Auditor General’s concerns, with the MPs lauding the institution’s specific innovative ways of generating extra revenue to sustain its operations.