Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Grilled Over Audit Queries For Year Ended June 2020
Some of the committee members during the session
By PSCU
Worth Noting:
- On the question of the firm’s properties, plants and general equipment, the management told the legislators that the Agency possesses 6 parcels of land but which have no ownership documents. The MPs heard that part of the land is located in Naivasha – along Maumahiu road,the other which is approximately 100 acres -in Katumani, and one in Machakos. The land is said to have been grabbed by individuals.
- “KALRO has about 80 pieces of land across the country where research is carried out. Most of this land was government land. However, we have also written to the National Lands Commission asking that KALRO is issued with the remaining titles”, said the company secretary Ms. Patricia Anyango.
The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture led by Emmanuel Wangwe played host to the management of the public agency incharge of agricultural research- the Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) who had been invited to explain audit queries of financial year 2019/2020.
The Committee raised a number of questions on receivables from exchange transactions where long outstanding debts had been reported but supporting documents had not been provided at the time of the audit.
Kenya Seed Company is one of the parastatals flagged out for not remitting research royalties to KALRO.
The Committee also took issue with the decision by KALRO management to consider writing off debts they have categorized as historical.
“How have you planned to write off these debts, and could you provide us with your debt policy?” posed Hon. Martin Owino from Ndhiwa constituency.
“Your responses reveal that some of these debtors are prominent people in the society. Under what circumstances did they receive this money?”, asked Bishop Jackson Kosgey who is a nominated member.
In his response, the Director General KALRO Eliud Kirger disclosed the names of the debtors holding the organisation’s money.
“Some of these debtors passed on. They had taken goods from KALRO and KEPHIS inform of planting materials and livestock”, he revealed.
Asked to respond on the organization’s credit management policy vis a vis its mandate by Martin Owino, Mr. Kirget told the legislators that though their main mandate as an agency is research, the organization is involved in the sale of by-products, but runs a partnership with Kenya Seed for mass production.
He noted that the company’s credit policy doesn’t allow them to undertake a lot commercial activities.
On the question of the firm’s properties, plants and general equipment, the management told the legislators that the Agency possesses 6 parcels of land but which have no ownership documents. The MPs heard that part of the land is located in Naivasha – along Maumahiu road,the other which is approximately 100 acres -in Katumani, and one in Machakos. The land is said to have been grabbed by individuals.
“KALRO has about 80 pieces of land across the country where research is carried out. Most of this land was government land. However, we have also written to the National Lands Commission asking that KALRO is issued with the remaining titles”, said the company secretary Ms. Patricia Anyango.
Geoffrey Wandeto from Tetu Constituency questioned why the management of KALRO has not taken advantage of the laws around eviction in the country to sort out the problem. The Committee directed the management to provide all the information on the grabbed land under KALRO, including that which had been issued titles which were later revoked.
On the Machakos land, the Members asked to be furnished with information on any deal between KALRO and KENTRACO, a power line agency which said to have erected beacons and even started construction on the land, whose section is used by the county government of Machakos as a dump site.
The Committeee resolved to invite the electricity transmitting company KENTRACO to appear before them to explain the circumstances under which they had identified and encroached on land belonging to KALRO.
Other issues raised were lost title deeds, land leases with other government organisations including county governments, and lack of valuation programs for assets belonging to the organisation including land and vehicles.
Members present during the meeting were Fatuma Jeho (Wajir), Wambugu Wainaina (Othaya), Jackson Kosgey (Nominated), Caleb Amisi (Saboti), Joshua Kimilu (Kaiti), Banard Kitur (Nandi Hills) and Ngikor Nicolus (Turkana East).
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