National Assembly Committee Reviews Audit Queries Of National Museums Of Kenya
By MKT Correspondent
The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Social Services Administration and Agriculture, chaired by Navakholo MP Emanuel Wangwe, met yesterday with the Managing Director of the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) Prof. Mary Gikungu, to scrutinize the Auditor-General’s reports on NMK’s financial statements for seven financial years.
The committee expressed concerns regarding NMK’s financial stability.
Despite NMK reporting a surplus of Ksh11,944,556 in 2014/15, a significant turnaround from the Ksh72,685,586 deficit in 2013/14, the cumulative revenue reserve balance remained negative Ksh413,894,448.
The financial statements as of June 30, 2015, also indicated a negative working capital of Ksh210,075,322. This persistent deficit underlines the critical assumption that NMK’s continued operations rely heavily on ongoing financial support from the government and creditors.
Addressing those issues, Prof. Gikungu stated, “Hon. Chairman, the observations are accurate based on the statement of changes in net assets for the Financial Year 2014-2015. Management has implemented controls, including new accounting systems and the establishment of Budget Implementation and Public Finance Management Committees. However, the situation remains unresolved due to accumulated losses and continuous budget cuts in subsequent years.”
Another query discussed was the lack of ownership documents for NMK’s land. As of June 30, 2015, NMK’s financial statements reflected property, plant, and equipment valued at Ksh2,791,316,618, including Ksh1,575,127,445 for 110 parcels of land. Out of these, only 37 had title deeds, 38 were surveyed and registered under NMK, 33 lacked surveys and ownership documents, and 2 were under dispute. This situation casts doubt on whether the carrying value of these properties accurately reflects their fair market value.
Moreover, the committee addressed the issue of land encroachment. Emerging evidence suggested that several NMK land parcels had been irregularly allocated to private developers. Prof. Gikungu noted, “It is true we have several parcels without title deeds and no revaluation at the time of the audit. However, an evaluation was completed in FY 2022/2023, partially resolving these issues as documented in the Valuation report. Nevertheless, NMK still faces challenges with illegal inhabitants on some parcels and seeks intervention from various state agencies to resolve these disputes.”
The session highlighted ongoing financial and administrative challenges within NMK and underscored the need for continuous oversight and support to safeguard national heritage assets.
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