MPs put agriculture CS on spot over Mumias sugar company audit report

NAIROBI, KENYA: Members of Parliament (MPs) have threatened to not approve funds for the ministry of Agriculture if they are not given the forensic audit report on the financial management of Mumias Sugar Company.

National Assembly parliamentary committee on Agriculture, livestock and cooperatives gave the Agriculture Cabinet secretary Willy Bett one month to present the report failure of which they would deny the ministry money for its operations.

"We are giving you one month to present to this committee the report, we will not take any more excuse, this committee has been waiting for the forensic audit report so that they can complete their assesment on Mumias sugar Company," said chairman of the National Assembly committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Co-operatives Adan Noor.

Bett who appeared before the committee to answer parliamentary questions was at odds to explain that he had not received the report and triggered a heated debate in the committee sitting at the County Hall in parliament when he told the MPs that the KPMG and the directors of the Mumias board had refused to avail the report to him.

"We sought the report but the KPMG and the board said they were not willing to share the report," said Bett.

The CS told the committee that the full board of Mumias Sugar Company had in 1st of September 2015 adopted the final KPMG forensic audit report which among other things recommended the improvement of governance culture and adherence to the company rules, the need for staff to always act in the best interest of the company and avoid conflict of interest.