Kiambu MCAs paid millions for fictitious foreign trips: Report

The Kiambu County Assembly has failed to account for millions of shillings it paid to its members and staff as travel and sitting allowances during their first year in office.

A report by the Auditor-General on the assembly’s finances for the year 2013/2014 cites irregularities that may have led to the massive loss of taxpayers’ money.

According to the report released in September and sent to Assembly Clerk John Mutie, ward reps were paid sitting allowances yet they were on foreign trips.

The document, which has been copied to the Senate and Governor William Kabogo, says the assembly paid Sh13 million to MCAs who made two trips to Israel yet some of them were still in the country.

Twelve MCAs, according to the report, went on a trip between December 8 and December 18, 2013, at a cost of Sh5.7 million.

ATTENDED SITTINGS

However, the records showed that some of the MCAs in the delegation purportedly attended the morning sittings of December 19, while nine others attended the December 18 session and five were in the assembly on December 17, when they were meant to return from Israel.

In another trip, made between May 12 and May 22 in 2014, 18 MCAs were paid Sh7.4 million but, according to reports produced for auditing, only 16 were named as part of the delegation.

The auditing team further observed that no report was tabled in the House for deliberation and that copies of passports of the concerned MCAs were not produced to confirm whether the trips were made.

The assembly also sent a delegation of MCAs to Singapore at a cost of Sh13.3 million but there was nothing to confirm that they travelled.

Another unsupported Sh7.1 million was paid as subsistence allowances for another trip to Singapore and Malaysia between April 24 and May 3.

NO SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

A total of Sh3.9 million was spent on a trip to the Netherlands but no supporting documents were produced.

Sending a delegation of MCAs to Hong Kong for a mapping and planning seminar cost the assembly Sh3.2 million.

The assembly spent Sh3 million to send another team to Rwanda for training.

The cost for a trip to Burundi could not be established.

A total of Sh624,460 was paid to two MCAs and two members of staff who attended the fifth edition of the East Africa Local Authorities Sports and Cultural Association games, although their role in the events was unspecified.

In addition, there was nothing to prove that the trip took place.

Ward reps and staff were also paid Sh11.3 million as subsistence allowances for attending various events, including workshops, which were not supported with invitation letters, timetables and certificates.

Efforts by the Nation to get a comment from Mr Mutie over the matter were futile as he did not pick up calls or respond to a text message.