The National Assembly Accounts Committee on Tuesday suspended inquests into the loss of public funds at the National Youth Service (NYS).
The Ugunja MP-led Parliamentary Accounts Committee had a tough time handling three state officers from the planning, public service and gender state departments.
PAC had summoned the CS Sicily Kariuki and Margaret Kobia but they all snubbed the committee with reports indicating the former is reportedly in the US with first lady Margaret Kenyatta.
The legistlators also summoned the Planning PS Julius Muia and together with his Gender department counterpart Safina Kwekwe also appeared on Tuesday.
Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo sought an explanation from the two on why Sh1.964 Billion was spent on projects that had not been budgeted for.
“In your response, you stated that Sh1.9 Billion was spent as transferred to other government units which had not been budgeted for. What does that mean? The Auditor General does not share in your view that the budget expenditures were reconciled as you stated in the submissions before us,” interrogated the MP.
[caption caption="PAC Chairperson Opiyo Wandayi "]
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The PS stated that he was only reading responses that had been prepared for him. He argued that since the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs had been split from that of Devolution, he could only convey the written answers to the committee.
Mr Wandayi admitted it was difficult to probe the responses given the Principal Secretaries could not own up statements presented and presented before the committee.
PS Muya was making his third appearance before the PAC but still told the MPs that he had difficulties responding to queries raised by the Auditor General.
On the Sh1.964 Billion, the state ministries claim they had reconciled the unbudgeted for expenditures. A response from the Ministry of Lands in a letter dated February 18, 2017, however, refutes that reconciliations were made with the ministry of planning concerning the suspect expenditures.
After the committee turned the heat on Gender PS Safina Kwekwe, she astonishingly stated she had just flown in from Northern Kenya to urgently appear before PAC and was unable to authoritatively defend the responses.
[caption caption="President Uhuru shares moment with NYS recruits "]
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The two PSs told the committee that the principal accountant in the state department for public service and youth affairs Mr Mbugua Sammy had prepared the responses for them. Mbugua is in police custody in connection with the saga.
“Go back and put your house in order. Prepare adequately and ensure you have all answers to the auditor general’s queries. As to whom you choose to send before us and how you prepare it is upon you,” ordered Mr Wandayi, suspending the grilling exercise.
The Committee will once again summon the PSs and the concerned Cabinet Secretaries at a later date.
