Audit reveals millions gobbled up in Eight Counties

Millions of shillings cannot be unaccounted for in at least eight counties, the Auditor General has said.

Edward Ouko, in his latest report on counties for the year ending in June 2017, painted a grim picture of how devolved units misused public funds.

The audit reports said counties were also unable to explain their under-collection of revenue.

The affected counties are Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Mandera, Baringo, Kitui, Wajir, Embu and Laikipia.

In Kirinyaga County, the audit revealed that during the year under review, the devolved government allocated Sh2, 126,195,667 for compensation of employees but spent Sh2, 134,561,139, resulting in excess and unapproved expenditure of Sh8, 365,472.

Mandera County budgeted to collect Sh265 million but raked in only Sh55 million.

“No explanation was given for the cause of the decline," the auditor notes

In Baringo County, the revenue collected was 281 million against a budget of Sh330 million.

Wajir County had budgeted to collect 230 million but only netted Sh75 million.

In Kitui, the budgeted revenue was Sh668 but only Sh315 million was collected.

“In addition, a review of the trends for the past two financial years revealed a decline in revenue collection."

In Embu, there was a shortfall of Sh412 million after the county promised to collect 809 million but only netted Sh391 million.

The auditor was also concerned that counties such as Laikipia were doing little to pursue debts amounting to millions of shillings.

The county is also on the spot for operating 51 bank accounts contrary to the law, which allows only six. The details of 21 of the accounts were not presented for audit.