Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service And National Drought Management Authority Managers Appear Before Watchdog Committee
Some of the committee members. Facing the camera are Wambugu Wainaina (Othaya), Geoffrey Wandeto (Tetu) and Fatuma Jehow (Wajir).
By PPT
Worth Noting:
- “We offer services on credit but the delays in payments are as a result of the number of challenges on our clients have been facing such as the change of climate, crop diseases and pests. These risks are a big challenge to the service. However, we are pursuing them. We are just about to start implementing an ICT system that is end to end; from us to the client and the bank. The only challenge we are still experiencing is lack of finances,” Dr. Mutui explained.
- The committee, however, asked the management of KEPHIS to provide them with the institution’s credit and investments policy, and ask the management to consider having it reviewed. The Committee also asked to be provided with lease agreements of the land in Kitale.
Officials from the government’s parastatal responsible for the assurance of quality agricultural inputs and produce, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and their counterparts mandated with managing the effects and risks of drought, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), yesterday made their second and third appearances respectively before the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture.
First on the witness stand before the Emanuel Wangwe-led Committee was the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate (KEPHIS), who presented six sets of articles. This was additional information along what was presented in the previous sitting following questions raised in the Auditor General’s report of 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 Financial Years.
The Chief Executive Officer at KEPHIS, Dr. Theophilus Mutui was requested to provide additional information on the people allocated land belonging to the institution on Blocks 12 and 13 situated within Kitale municipality.
The second issue was on inaccuracies and receivables from transactions for the Financial Year ending June 2019. In his response, Dr. Mutui owned up to the observation by the auditor saying the difference was as a result of poor reconciliation of the schedules and financial statements.
With regard to the review of the audit report for the Financial Year 2019/20, Committee Members raised concerns about why there are long outstanding debts of more than 3 years while the clients were still getting services. The same question was again raised in the audit reports for the Financial Year 2020/21.
“We offer services on credit but the delays in payments are as a result of the number of challenges on our clients have been facing such as the change of climate, crop diseases and pests. These risks are a big challenge to the service. However, we are pursuing them. We are just about to start implementing an ICT system that is end to end; from us to the client and the bank. The only challenge we are still experiencing is lack of finances,” Dr. Mutui explained.
The committee, however, asked the management of KEPHIS to provide them with the institution’s credit and investments policy, and ask the management to consider having it reviewed. The Committee also asked to be provided with lease agreements of the land in Kitale.
In the afternoon session, the committee met with the management of the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) led by the Chief Executive Officer, Hared Aden to provide additional information of 8 supplementary issues.
In a letter dated 24th March 2023, the Committee had requested for information regarding the
supporting documents for Ksh. 160,184,174 disbursed to the Authority’s regional offices under the audit query for grants and subsidies for the Financial Year 2018/19. The Vouchers in question were not available for audit. They are for 23 counties who received donor-funded projects.
The Committee also directed the Authority to provide minutes for audit committee meetings; a comprehensive list of assets in register and values, provide title deeds of land valued at Ksh. 174,577.706 under audit query for the anomalies in plant and equipment for the year ended June 2019.
Others in the supplementary responses were submissions of the contract for insurance worth Kshs. 6, 671,815 under the audit query for irregular renewal of insurance services, and a schedule of all motor vehicles owned by the Authority.
Mr. Harel however could not explain the land agreement in which the Kwa Ndaki Earth Dam sits on, with members raising concerns on the signatures, owners and required payments to owners of the land as stipulated in the agreement.
Members present were Joshua Kimilu (Kaiti), Fatuma Jehow (Wajir), Geogrey Wandeto (Tetu), Banard Kitur (Nandi Hills), Paul Naibun Ekwom (Turkana North), Wambugu Wainaina (Othaya) and Peter Owino (Ndhiwa).
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