Details of how billions were lost in Kiambu County

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts and Investments on Thursday shelved the audit report on Kiambu County demanding a fresh audit.

The magnitude of diversion of funds to imaginary projects was so shocking to Senators prompting them to set aside the report and recommend a special audit of the rot within the county.

In the audit report for instance, the county tendered for the construction of Ting’ang’a dispensary perimeter wall at Ksh.3.4 million, a contract that was given to a contractor who never participated in the tender shoving aside those who took part in the bidding.

Likewise, the report raised a red flag on 11 projects that money was allocated to and millions of shillings already paid to different contractors but all the projects have stalled.

A whooping Ksh.341 million sunk in now Kiambu’s ghost projects, with contractors who have never been seen on the sites pocketing the millions.

But in utter display of greed and appetite to loot from public coffers, Governor Ferdinand Waititu’s office allocated over Ksh.1 billion to State House functions including Ksh.902 million for coordination of State House functions and a further Ksh.180 million to benefit retired presidents. This despite clearly State House having its own budget.

Interestingly, Governor Waititu appeared to be on a diplomacy offensive to ensure Kenya-South Sudan diplomatic relations remain cordial and as such Kiambu County set aside and paid over Ksh.58 million for the Kenya- South Sudan advisory services.

Despite free primary education being a function of the National Government, with only early childhood development component being devolved, the county has remitted over Ksh.793 million for this function.

A further Ksh.598 million was paid for state corporations advisory services, these notwithstanding state corporations are national government agencies.

It is a grave report demonstrating utter pilferage of funds allocated to Kiambu County.

Ironically, counties are still pushing for increased budgetary allocation despite such revelations.