Hard truths. Bold Insights. Real talk.
According to the committee's briefing, only 10 of the 24 audit issues raised by the Auditor-General have been fully addressed. Eleven remain unresolved, while three have only been partly dealt with, showing that several concerns raised in previous audits continue to resurface.
During the session on Tuesday chaired by Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), lawmakers faulted RCPSB Chief Executive Officer Patrick Mulwa for appearing before the committee without sufficient documentation despite being required to account for the audit findings.
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu’s review for the year ended June 30, 2025, details how the county’s staffing and payroll structures operated with weak controls, allowing irregular payments and incomplete personnel records to go unchecked.
According to the committee, the decision was driven by ongoing concerns that have followed the programme for years, including inconsistencies in payment processing, late release of stipends, and weaknesses in how funds are managed within the system.
An update on the Performance Contract for FY 2025/2026 indicated satisfactory progress across the majority of performance indicators.
MP Kuria explained that the Controller of Budget’s approval is not required for spending from the Fund because it is not part of the Consolidated Fund. Funds created through Acts of Parliament operate differently from regular government accounts, he said.
The verification covered public primary, junior and secondary schools, as well as special needs institutions across all 47 counties.
During a Senate review, Governor Kenneth Lusaka was pressed to explain the Christmas tree event, held in September 2019, which occurred months before the festive season. The audit indicates that the funds used were withdrawn through a county imprest, raising concerns about proper financial procedures.
The Cabinet said the measures are intended to address long-standing payroll integrity issues that have persisted across successive administrations, and to restore public confidence in the management of government payroll systems.
Documents from the devolved units show the 10 counties recognize debts totaling Sh1.5 billion, while Kenya Power’s records indicate they owe Sh3.9 billion. Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed that Nairobi City County alone accounted for 95.5 percent of the disputed bills.
New policies that opened the textbook market to private publishers sharply reduced JKF’s market share. Publishing revenues fell 79 per cent, from Sh117 million to Sh25 million, affected by lack of government textbook orders, stiff competition from private schools, and large volumes of obsolete stock due to the shift to the Competency-Based Curriculum.
Breaking down the Sh3.5 billion awarded under AGPO, youth-owned businesses received Sh2.2 billion, women-owned businesses Sh1.25 billion, and businesses owned by persons with disabilities Sh66.7 million. AGPO, introduced under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, requires State entities to reserve 30 per cent of tenders for youth, women, and persons with disabilities, usually for common goods and basic services.