Four MPs on the spot over unclear disbursement of bursary millions

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has questioned the manner in which bursaries were disbursed and spent in some constituencies. [File, Standard] Four Members of Parliament are on the spot over anomalies in disbursement of millions of shillings of bursaries in their constituencies. Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has questioned the manner in which bursaries were disbursed and spent in Embakasi North, Narok West, Rongo and Sabatia constituencies for the financial year ending June 30, 2022. The constituencies are represented by James Gakuya, Gabriel Tongoyo, Paul Abuor and Clement Sloya respectively. In Embakasi North, Gathungu said "examination of payment vouchers provided for audit revealed bursary awards amounting to Sh58,820,000 in Embakasi North Constituency resulted in an unexplained variance of Sh605,000." The Auditor General said of the Sh46,465,000 disbursed to secondary schools in the constituency, there was a payment of Sh34,000,000 whose supporting schedule of the schools and beneficiaries were not provided for audit. Gathungu said a review of records provided for audit revealed that none of the bursary beneficiaries could be traced to an application form submitted for funding. She said the bursaries amount of Sh59,425,000, which is 53 per cent of the total transfers from the NG-CDF Board, was 18 per cent above the allowable limit of 35 per cent with the anomaly not explained. "In the circumstances, the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of the bursary disbursements of Sh59,425,000 in Embakasi North Constituency could not be confirmed," said Gathungu. In Narok West Constituency, the Auditor General highlighted the statement of receipts and payments reflecting other grants and transfers of amounts of Sh46,846,082, which included Sh17,895,194 and Sh17,564,000 for bursary to secondary schools and Sh35,459,194 to tertiary institutions. However, review of the bursary beneficiary schedules detailing the institutions, students' names and admission numbers, revealed bursary and transfers of amounts of Sh17,024,500 and Sh17,566,000 in respect of bursary to secondary schools and bursary to tertiary institutions respectively, totaling to Sh34,590,500, resulting to unexplained and unreconciled variance of Sh868,694. Gathungu said bursary payments of Sh9,046,000 were irregularly issued to 675 beneficiaries in the various categories without admission or registration numbers. The beneficiaries shared admission numbers in their respective schools and some did not have students' names. "In the circumstances, the propriety, accuracy and completeness of bursary payments of Sh17,895,194 and Sh17,564,000 in respect of bursary to secondary schools and to tertiary institutions in Narok West Constituency could not be confirmed," said Gathungu. In Rongo, the Auditor General pointed out the statement of receipts and payments reflecting an amount of Sh65,643,718 in respect to other grants and transfers to secondary schools and tertiary institutions. However, review of payment vouchers, schedules and records provided for audit showed a schedule of bursary disbursements amounting to Sh2,118,500 was not reflecting beneficiaries' admission numbers. The report revealed that 157 beneficiaries received bursary allocations more than once and of varied amounts. "In the circumstances, the regularity of the expenditure of Sh46,658,356, fairness and equity in bursary disbursements in Rongo Constituency could not be confirmed," said Gathungu. In Sabatia, the constituency disbursed bursaries amounting to Sh10,752,770 to various secondary schools, Sh26,974,600 to tertiary institutions and Sh1,014,890 to special schools, all totaling to Sh 38,742,260. However, the Auditor General observed that the review of the summary statement of appropriation revealed that an amount of Sh236,308,132 was received from the NG-CDF Board. The Fund spent an amount of Sh38,742,260 on bursary, equivalent to 16 per cent, instead of Sh 59,077,108 being 25 per cent stipulated by Regulation 21(5) of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund Regulations, 2016. "Details on types and names of the learning institutions, bank details, bursary amounts, full names of the students and their admission numbers, the county in which they are located and receipts confirmations or acknowledgement that the bursaries were received by the respective institutions were not provided for audit review," said Gathungu. The Auditor General said that in the circumstances, the propriety and accountability of the expenditure of Sh38,742,260 for bursaries in Sabatia could not be confirmed. She said a review of the bank reconciliation statement revealed unpresented cheques of Sh2,293,708.

Four MPs on the spot over unclear disbursement of bursary millions

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