Auditor wants ex-Governor Kidero to account for missing funds

Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero; auditor general wants him to account for city finances

NAIROBI, KENYA: Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero is on the spot over the whereabouts of revenue collected, misuse of funds and disposal of assets during his term in office.

Auditor General Edward Ouko took issue with the use of Sh580m as legal costs, which was paid outside the Integrated Financial Management Information Systems contrary to the Treasury provisions on processing all payments within the system.

The county’s actual expenditure exceeded its approved budgetary allocation of Sh100m, resulting in an over-expenditure of Sh480m or 480 per cent.

Serious gaps

“No authority for the supplementary expenditure was sought from the county assembly, which is contrary to the law,” said Ouko.

He revealed a review of the internal controls systems for the issuance of clamps and release of clamped vehicles under the revenue enforcement department revealed serious gaps.

For example, the clamping systems reflect 27,358 as having been clamped for non-payment of parking fees in the year under review.

However, 10,672 vehicles representing 39 per cent of the number of vehicles clamped were released without payment or the requisite approval.

“Controls over issuance and accountability over the clamps are weak and prone to manipulation. For instance, there is no system for monitoring field officers' activity on the clamped vehicles whether paid or not,” he said.