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Audit report exposes theft of millions in youth funds

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Published on Tuesday, 08 February 2011 06:36

Chief Officers at the Kisii Municipal Council should be investigated over Sh25 million Kazi kwa Vijana (KKV) funds in which the Government allegedly lost millions of shillings through graft.

An audit report ordered by the Ministry of Local Government through Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Musalia Mudavadi shows that the funds were mismanaged under the watch of former council Works Officer Nicodemus Kerongo and Town Engineer Wiliam Wanyonyi, who headed implementation of the KKV programme.

The report titled ‘Audit Review On Financial and Management Impropriety revealed that the council engaged 88 youth to work within the council’s Central Business District (CBD) instead of 20 per session, leading to the loss of Sh269,000.

In some electoral areas, the names of youth were repeated to ostensibly embezzle the funds, while the 16 councillors and the public officer were paid a total of Sh493,000 as transport allowance from the kitty to monitor the KKV projects in their respective wards.

The report prepared by Internal Audit boos D W Mbugua, recommends that Wanyonyi be compelled to give the true account of the activities of the fund, original documents and the money paid out fraudulently recovered.

"The signatories and fund managers should take responsibility since the application of the fund appears not to have given value for money to both the council and the public," says the report obtained by The Standard.

The auditors found out that youth listed as having worked in some wards never signed for the cash, yet the total amount was accounted for whereas in others, payment rates varied from Sh500, Sh400, Sh350 to Sh250 per day, a move seen as irregular and meant to embezzle the funds.