A Senate oversight committee has put on the spot former Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia over expenditures on Bursary, Emergency and Car Loan and Mortgage Funds worth more than Sh50million during his tenure.

This emerged as current County Chief Kiarie Badilisha failed to explain how the County government disbursed the bursaries and Emergency among other funds without proper documentation.

While appearing before the Senate County Public Investment and Special Funds Committee chaired by Vihiga lawmaker Godfrey Osotsi, Badilisha was categorical that the former administration should be summoned to explain the expenditure.

“I am unable to answer any questions in the absence of this surrender of documents; alternatively, and in public interest, this Senate should summon the former Governor,” said Badilisha.

Disbursed bursaries

The hawked-eyed committee also established that the former administration disbursed bursaries amounting to Sh57.53 million in the 2019-20 financial year.

Out of the total expenditure, Sh5.24million were disbursed to some Sh329 students whose admission numbers were not indicated to confirm that they received the bursaries.

It also emerged the management of the bursary funds was not maintaining either the electronic or manual records of the expenditures.

“The audit query is true. The reported expenditure of Sh5.24million could not be verified. We have written to all beneficiary schools but no verification has reached our office. We have no evidence to show that the funds reached the schools. That is why we are asking the Senate to do what it can do to get information from the people concerned,” said Badilisha. Tabitha Mutinda (nominated), a member of the committee, pushed the governor to prove that his administration had written to the schools to authenticate the expenditures.