Kemsa boss taken to task over audit queries
The management of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) was yesterday hard pressed to explain the expenditure on the construction of its new warehouse and office block in Nairobi’s Embakasi area.
Acting Chief Executive Andrew Mulwa was forced to reschedule his appearance before the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Social Services Administration and Agriculture and is expected to return this morning with detailed explanations.
Mulwa, who was accompanied by Finance Manager Waiganjo Karanja, had appeared before the committee led by Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe to respond to audit queries emanating from the Auditor General’s report for the year ended June 30, 2019.
The two found themselves on the receiving end after they failed to provide proof of ownership of motor vehicles and titles deeds for the parcels of land owned by Kemsa.
The committee had also asked the team to table bank statements and certificates to prove transactions on payments made for different projects undertaken by the Authority, which they were also unable to produce.
The MPs had also sought evidence on the unsupported expenditure on the construction of Kemsa modern warehouse and office block in Embakasi.
The committee had asked Mulwa to produce evidence of expenditure based on unsubstantiated provisional items such as interests charged on anticipated delayed payments and substructure balance of Sh21,657,121 and Sh25,000,000 respectively. These provisions could not be justified.
“We see unsupported expenditure and payments which cannot be verified. All this points to lack of internal control and poor management. This is likely to scare away donor partners since audit reports are open to the public,” said Martin Owino (Ndhiwa).
