Parliament orders audit on Kenya School of Law

Parliament has called on anti-graft agencies to investigate the leadership of Kenya School of Law (KSL) for flouting procurement laws and undertaking irregular awards of contracts and purchases.

A House team has also directed the Auditor General to conduct a special audit into operations of the school, focusing on construction of an ultra-modern library and moot courts, which commenced on 24 June 2013 at an estimated cost of Sh488.7 million.

The National Assembly Committee on Public Investment Committee on Education and Governance chairperson, Jack Wamboka, yesterday directed the Nancy Gathungu-led office to audit the multi-million shilling building.

"The audit should be complete in one month and should focus on how the construction contract was awarded, contract extensions and any project variations that might have occurred," said Wamboka.

"Having conducted a site visit to inspect the building, I can say what they have done is embarrassing and shoddy. There was no value for money in where the project has reached," he added.

The development came on Wednesday, after the committee on Tuesday undertook a site visit of KSL to ascertain progress of the construction of the library, which is 97 per cent done.

The Auditor General in her report for the financial year ended June 2023 flagged the delayed completion of the project; the contract for the construction of an Ultra-Modern Library and Moot Courts was awarded to a contractor at a cost of Sh488,704,449 and commenced on 24 June 2013.

The construction period was three years, and the Project was expected to be completed by September 2016. An amount of Sh358,771,054 had been paid to the contractor by 30 June 2023.

Gathungu noted that physical inspection and verification of the progress of works, however, revealed that although the contractor was still on site, the works had not been completed, seven years after the expected completion period.

During the meeting with the school's management led by Chief Executive Officer Henry Kibet Mutai, the committee sought answers to various audit queries raised from the institution's financial statements, most of which the CEO and accountant seemed uncertain about. "We find the Finance Officer incompetent, negligent, and unfit to serve in an institution like KSL," said Wamboka.

"I also call upon the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to investigate the management of the Kenya School of Law for flouting the law," he added.