By Peter Opiyo
body>< body>It is still not known the exact amount the government collected as revenue in the financial year 2007/2008 even after a parliamentary team probed the matter.
body>The inquiry arose from a study by Mars Group Kenya whose findings were raised in parliament by Gwassi MP John Mbadi in April 2011.
body>< body>The report is a culmination of a long process that recommended among others complete adoption of submissions proposed by the Mars Group Kenya that a foresnsic audit of government revenue be ordered and executed accordingly.
body>< body>The parlaimentary team has therefore recommended that a forensic audit be carried out into the revenue accounts of 2007/2008 financial year to establish how much the government collected as revenue.
body>< body>There have been inconsistencies regarding the amount collected with Kenya Revenue Authority, Ministry of Finance and Auditor General presenting conflicting figures.
body>< body>Ministry of Finance submitted to Parliament Sh466 billion as un audited revenue as opposed to audited revenue figures of Sh516 billion. This was an under-declaration to Parliament of about Sh70 billion.
body>< body>At the time the ministry also declared to Parliament only Sh397.6 billion as ordinary revenue compared to Auditor General’s figure of Sh496 billion, an under-declaration of Sh98.5 billion. On its part KRA said it collected Sh433.9 billion.
body>< body>It is these inconsistencies that the joint Committee of the Budget and Committee on Finance ventured to probe, following a question raised by Mbadi.
body>< body>“An independent forensic audit into the revenue accounts of the government of Kenya be conducted for the financial year 2007/2008 to determine the true revenue position of the government,” the team recommends in its report.
body>< body>During its meetings the team found out that there were several discrepancies in the budget and recommended that the government reviews its accounting systems to make them more efficient.
body>< body>Inconsistencies were also detected in the total loans by the government in which Treasury availed a figure of Sh20.1 billion against a figure of Sh26.7 billion, an overstatement of Sh6.6 billion to Parliament.
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