The recent release of the Auditor General’s Report on the County Governments 2022-2023 has cast a glaring spotlight on Murang’a County, revealing the loss of KES 22 million due to untraceable funds. The report, a meticulous examination of financial transactions, paints a troubling picture of mismanagement and opacity within the county’s financial apparatus.
According to the Auditor General, the disappearance of funds occurred months before the current administration assumed office, indicating a systemic issue predating the current governance structure. The intricate details provided by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) shed light on the modus operandi behind the vanishing millions.
The OAG’s investigation uncovered a disturbing pattern wherein a dubious account was established to siphon off substantial sums of money. This account, named the Small Traders Empowerment Fund Account, served as the epicenter of the financial malfeasance. It received a staggering deposit of KES h22 million in two separate transactions—KES 12 million on April 12, 2021, followed by an additional Ksh10 million on January 31, 2022.
Subsequently, the Murang’a County Government initiated another dubious move by opening a bank account titled Small Traders Empowerment Loan Account. Strikingly, funds from the previous account were swiftly transferred to this new account in equal batches of KES 10 million each. The paper trail, meticulously examined by the OAG, revealed transfers totaling KES 20 million on January 27, 2022, and February 4, 2022.
However, the trail of the transferred funds abruptly went cold as they were swiftly channeled to another account named Wachuuzi. Within hours of their arrival, the funds were withdrawn by unspecified individuals, leaving no trace of their utilization or destination. As of the audit conducted in October 2023, both the Small Traders Empowerment Fund Account and the Small Traders Empowerment Loan Account showed minimal balances, with the latter exhibiting a nil balance.
The inability to reconcile the transferred funds, amounting to Ksh21,990,810, underscores the magnitude of the financial irregularities plaguing Murang’a County. The lack of transparency and accountability surrounding these transactions raises serious concerns about the stewardship of public funds and the efficacy of oversight mechanisms within the county government.
—Contributed
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