Auditor General welcomes Ruto back home with audit queries

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto

 

A day after Governor Isaac Ruto's much-hyped homecoming, his administration is on the spot over audit queries.

The Auditor General revealed there was over-spending amounting to Sh36 million in the 2014-2015 financial year on three items.

Auditor General Edward Ouko said no authority for re-allocation or regularisation through a supplementary budget was presented to the auditors.

He said the county almost fully utilised all the funds during the financial year under review but did not disclose the expenditures through the integrated financial management and information system.

In a report detailing how the county spent its Sh4.5 billion allocation for the financial year under review, Mr Ouko claimed there were irregularities in the implementation of the Sh221 million Bomet IAAF Stadium project.

Ouko said the project was not budgeted for in the 2014-2015 financial year, adding that the Sh155 million used to put up the facility was not provided for in the programme-based budget.

Ouko noted that money meant for projects in the education department was diverted to the the stadium project.

"The funds were drawn from three other votes in the education department to finance construction of the stadium," he added.

Although the project was contained in the county's Integrated Development Plan for 2013-2018, its construction was dogged by financial irregularities.

The auditor said Sh48.9 million spent on wages to casual workers involved in the project could not be accounted for.

"The master roll used in paying workers was not properly maintained, as it did not indicate the rate paid, the total amount payable to each of the casual workers and the number of days worked," he said.

He added that in the absence of engagement letters and records showing the number of workers drawn from each sub-county, it was not possible to confirm the expenditure of Sh48.9million as proper charge to public funds.

According to the work plans provided to the auditors, construction works began on March 4, 2014 and the expected completion date was October 22, 2014. Some Sh196 million had been spent by June 30, 2015. The auditor noted that the project was likely to exceed its initially estimated cost. The office of the governor spent Sh38.9 million on community participation but failed to explain what was discussed during the forums as no documentation was produced for audit to ascertain whether there was value addition on the fund.