The National Assembly Public Accounts Committee grilled Labour Principal Secretary Joseph Motari after the State Department for Social Protection failed to account for Ksh244 million expenditure.
Lawmakers, on Monday, alleged that the department did not provide relevant documents to prove that the expenditure was authorised. The committee an Auditor General's report, which claimed that the department spent Kshs244,901,512 on unsupported purchase of materials and supplies.
They thus sought the PS's response to audit queries that exposed the expenditure of the funds without a schedule as required by the law.
The committee chair, Suba MP John Mbadi, further demanded to know why the PS reportedly circumvented procurement laws for purchasing specialised materials and supplies.
"The law is very clear that such expenditure must be supported by the schedule...why did the Department overlook the law," posed Mbadi, an opposition politician allied with the Azimio coalition.
Contrary to the auditor's report, Motari claimed that the department incurred the expenditure in the purchase of food, medical, uniforms, and clothing.
According to the PS, the equipment was supplied to Children's rehabilitation schools, rescue centres, remand homes, and vocational rehabilitation centres.
"By the time of the audit Remand Homes had not submitted their returns on time," he added as he submitted the required supportive documents to the Committee.
The State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs falls under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.
It was established this year following the re-organization of the government under Executive Order No. 1 of 2023.
Its main mandate is to safeguard and protect the rights & welfare of all children through coordination, supervision, and provision of services as per the Constitution and the Children Act of 2022.
The department is also in charge of payment of cash transfers to Older Persons, persons with disabilities, orphans and Vulnerable Children.
