The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched an investigation into Huduma Kenya over its failure to remit Ksh266.3 million collected in 2016 on behalf of the Interior Ministry from Kenyans who applied for Certificates of Good of Conduct.
Business Daily reported that on Monday, Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, while appearing before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) revealed that the money was part of the revenue collected by Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) at Huduma Centres across the country.
“We are dissatisfied with their services. The matter has since been handed to the DCI to conduct an investigation on the accumulated debt and institute legal action if necessary,” Kibicho told the committee chaired by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi.
Kibicho further produced copies of correspondence between the investigating team and PCK over the matter, in order to convince the committee that the investigations had commenced.
As per Auditor General Edward Ouko’s report for the 2016/2017 financial year, Ksh 639,546,000 was gathered from 639,546 police clearance certificates, paid by Kenyans who had applied for the Certificates of Good Conduct.
However, an audit inspection undertaken by DCI revealed that only Ksh 373,272,000 was recorded to have been remitted at the Interior Ministry's accounts at Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
“The difference of the amount collected and recorded has not been explained,” Ouko stated in the report that is before the Parliamentary Accounts Committee.
Kibicho’s revelation on the government platforms follows a National Assembly's directive in April this year, which asked the Auditor General to conduct a special audit of Huduma Centres to establish the amount of money that the government has been able to collect through the system since its inception.
Huduma Kenya, a digital payment platform was established by the government about five years ago. Through it, Kenyans are allowed to access and pay for all government services online.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government came up with the flagship project so as to enhance efficiency, access, as well as reduce wastage and corruption in the handling of the funds generated through government services.
