Mercy Mwai @wangumarci

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has questioned the allocation of billions of shillings to various universities for development and capitation purposes without crucial documents.

In her latest report, she accuses the State department of University Education of failing to provide contracts of the development projects being carried out by universities and increasing capitation to some of the institutions at the expense of others.

Regarding the development projects, Gathungu in her report tabled in the National Assembly, raised concern about disbursement of Sh5.6 billion to universities for implementation of various projects without the support of crucial documents.

According to the Auditor, no contract documents, valuation certificates or projects status reports by the State department were provided in support of the disbursements.

She also disclosed that Multimedia University had been allocated Sh619.5 million above the approved budget.

The disbursement was made as per a circular dated September 6, 2016 by the Principal Secretary, State department for University Education which stated that the development budget to all universities was dependent on specific project completion certificates submitted to the ministry for consideration and concurrence.

Specific projects

“It was therefore not possible to confirm the validity and propriety of capital disbursements totaling to Sh5,580,848,844 for the year ended 30 June 2020,” reads the report.

Gathungu in the report has also flagged Sh834.8 million disbursed in the financial year 2019/20 to six universities, which she said was not linked to any specific projects.

The six universities include Koitalel Samoei University College which received Sh79.98 million, Gatundu University College Sh82.7 million, Bomet University College Sh275 million, Alupe University College Sh150.2 million and Kaimosi University College Sh141 million.

“Consequently it has not been possible to ascertain the property of the disbursements totaling Sh834,817,364 for the year ended 30 June 20202,” adds the report.

Gathungu revealed that 11 out of 41 universities had their capitations increased by 20 per cent and above while the capitation for Koitalel Samoei University College was reduced by 17 per cent.

The universities that got increased capitation include Embu University Sh9 million (23 per cent), Egerton University Sh49.2 million (40 per cent), Cooperative University College Sh3.3 million (20 per cent) and Tom Mboya University College Sh17 million (124 per cent).

Others are Bomet University College Sh19.2 million (303 per cent), Kaimosi University College Sh23.9 million (184 per cent), Turkana University College Sh5.8 million (61 per cent), South Eastern Kenya University Sh17 million (29 per cent), Dedan Kimathi Sh18.7 million (34 per cent) and Multimedia University Sh15.9 million (50 per cent).