Josephta Mukobe on spot over Sh15m payment

A parliamentary committee yesterday heard that an individual in the Sports and Heritage Department pocketed Sh15 million of taxpayers' money for offering unknown services.

The National Assembly Public Accounts Committee heard that Ms Imelda Kithuka was paid Sh15 million in the 2015/2016 financial year, but the nature of the work she did could not be explained.

Appearing before the committee to answer to an audit query raised by the Auditor-General in his 2015/2016 report, Heritage Principal Secretary Josephta Mukobe could not tell the committee why Ms Kithuka was received the money and asked for one week to present all the documents for the payment.

Ms Mukobe told the committee, chaired by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, that the majority of the officers at the department are new following the Cabinet reshuffle hence could not immediately provide a proper explanation for the audit query.

“Please give me more time to establish how the payment was made and why,” Ms Mukobe told the MPs.

The PS was given one week to present the documents.

Suna East MP Junet Mohamed wondered how the PS could not answer to an audit query concerning her ministry.

Mr Wandayi also noted that pending bills have become an avenue for theft of public funds by ministries.​