Bungoma, Meru Rank Top In Misappropriation Of Covid-19 Funds From World Bank – Auditor General

Bungoma and Meru counties have ranked top in misappropriation of Covid-19 funds allocated by the world bank, the Auditor General has revealed.

According to the report, Bungoma County misappropriated over Sh20 million meant for the fight against Covid-19.

For instance, the funds have not only been misappropriated but cannot be accounted for despite the County claiming it reallocated the funds for training.

A probe established by the auditor general has faulted the county for not providing required documents such as approved plans or details of trained personnel; signed attendance list; authority to pay participants for training or even approved conference and facilitators rates to support the utilization of funds that were allocated.

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has ideally called out the county Management for the misappropriation and wants dire actions taken.

Read: Bungoma Governor Wangamati Denies Misusing COVID-19 Funds, Links Woes To Political Rivals

Meru County on the other hand has been flagged for spending Sh10 million in the purchase of Covid-19 items without following legal procurement laws in the country.

Meru county is also on the spot for illegal awarding of tenders to various firms worth Sh20 million which is against the Public Procurement and Disposal Act.

Last year, Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati was on the spot for the misappropriation of the Covid-19 funds.

This was after Kahawa Tungu unmasked the alleged embezzlement of funds where 600 20 litre jerrycans were said to have been purchased at Sh10,000 each and distributed across the county.

Prior to that, this desk had ideally revealed how Bungoma County refused to buy personal protective equipment (PPEs) for its COVID-19 response team worth Sh123,000, but instead went ahead to borrow Sh6.9 million for an awareness campaign.

Read Also: EACC Now Investigating Bungoma County Officials Who Purchased Jerrycans For Ksh10,000 Each

At the centre of the saga was Caro Buyela, the Governor’s special projects advisor.

Apparently, close to Sh5 million was used in the purchase of four 120-litre Water tanks in each of the 88 selected market centres countywide, totaling 352 pieces. Also, a total of 100 buckets, 500 pieces of A5 size brochures, soap and sanitizers were bought.

A tank, according to a source from the supplier, cost Sh1,000 each meaning that at most Sh352,000 was used to buy the tanks, while the liquid soap was estimated to have cost at most Sh135,000 cumulatively.

This desk also revealed that each ward got 3-4 (120-litre) water tanks, some got water buckets while very few got bar soaps. A 20-litre liquid soap was shared between 2-4 market centres depending on the liking of the office of the governor’s advisors on special programmes.

Over the past one week, Kenyans have been up in arms castigating the Jubilee administration for its insatiable appetite for loans that has singe plunged the country into trillions of debts.

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