Street families’ trust fund has no land documents, reveals auditor
Families’ Rehabilitation Trust Fund (SFRTF) which claims to own various pieces of land has no documents to prove ownership of the land.
The parcels are located in Mavoko and other undisclosed parts of the country.
“Records maintained by SFRTF indicate the fund owns various parcels all of which had no ownership documents as at June 30, 2018,” the report reads in part.
Consequently, Ouko raised concerns over Sh273 million spent on street families’ rehabilitation in the financial years 2015/16 but cannot be confirmed as no financial statements were prepared to confirm how the money was spent.
Double payment
Of the cash used by the trust fund, the money distributed to partner institutions was Sh274 million which was Sh3.5 million in excess, there was a double payment to one partner institution amounting to Sh1.6 million as well as the existence of unexplained variance of Sh343, 813.
“Under the circumstances, the accuracy and completeness of the transfers of the partner institutions balance of Sh273.7 million could not be confirmed,” reads the statement.
On the parcels of land Ouko raised concerns overland with LR /No 209/11325 donated and surrendered to the fund by the Kenya Pipeline Company in August 23, 2007, and subsequently handed to the Commissioner of Lands on August 6, 2007 for purposes of transferring and registering the property in the name of the fund but 10 years down the lane, the transfer is yet to be effected.
With regards to land in Mavoko town marked as LR Bloc 3/2545, Ouko regretted that despite the fund purchasing the land measuring 8.090 hectares at a cost of Sh38 million in December 2013 and the original title being surrendered to the Ministry of Lands for subsequent transfer, up to date the said property has not been transferred to the fund.
Board of trustees
In addition, Ouko also raised concerns that although the board of trustees in minutes dated September 16, 2016, had indicated that they had been allocated land in various counties by the defunct local authorities; the fund is yet to identify where the pieces of land are located and obtain title deeds or any legal documents of the allocation.
“There is a real threat of loss of this property if the fund does not expedite the process of obtaining ownership documents,” reads the report.
SFRTF mandate includes co-ordinating rehabilitation activities for street families; conducting public education on issues affecting the families; mobilising resources and fundraising as well as receiving donations and funding street families rehabilitation programmes; managing donations for the rehabilitation of those living on the streets through a trust fund; monitoring expenditure and disbursement of donations; and advising the government and other relevant agencies on matters relating to rehabilitation of street families.
