NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 14 – The National Assembly Public Petitions Committee has urged the Auditor-General to conduct a forensic audit on all public expenditures by the National Government between July and September 2022.
This follows a petition tabled in Parliament for consideration by Stephen Mutoro, the Secretary General of the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK), in November 2022, stating that the funds spent by the national government during the period are contrary to Article 223 of the constitution.
“The Committee concluded by recommending the Auditor-General to conduct a forensic audit on all public expenditures by the National Government between July and September 2022 to ascertain any alleged misappropriation,” the Committee recommends.
Mutoro, through the Vice Chairperson of the Public Petition Committee, Janet Sitienei, sought a close examination of expenditures that were not approved by the National Assembly.
“The petitioner stated that towards the end of the term of Jubilee administration Sh55 billion was spent without approval of the National Assembly contrary to the provisions of Article 223 of the Constitution.”
Upon review of the petition, the Committee observed that withdrawals were made by the MDAs between July and September 2022, coinciding with the conclusion of the Jubilee Administration’s term.
The committee also noted a lack of safeguards preventing the outgoing administration from incurring expenditures in case of an emergency.
The House subsequently approved all expenditures, except for Sh4.5 million allocated to the maize flour subsidy program and Sh6.09 billion for the acquisition of Telkom Kenya through the Supplementary Appropriation Act of 2023.
The Committee said that despite the availability of the Contingency Fund to address emergencies, none of the MDAs sought funds from it due to the stringent conditions outlined in Section 21 of the Public Finance Management Act of 2012. Instead, they opted to request funding under Article 223 of the Constitution.
Mutoro, in his petition, called for the formation of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate government officials responsible for the contested expenditures.
“The Petitioner prayed that the National Assembly, through the Public Petitions Committee, orders the Auditor-General to conduct a special forensic audit on all public expenditures during the transition period from July to September 2022.”
The Committee said despite the availability of the Contingency Fund to address emergencies, none of the MDAs sought funds from it due to the stringent conditions outlined in Section 21 of the Public Finance Management Act of 2012. Contrary to this, they opted to request funding under Article 223 of the Constitution.
