A serious report by the Auditor General has shown that Sh5 billion was taken from the Contingencies Fund in a way that is against the rules during the 2023/24 financial year.
This money was spent on things that were not urgent, breaking the law about how this fund should be used.
The report was presented to Parliament on Wednesday and points to big problems in managing money. People are worried about how public money, meant for emergencies, is being handled.
The audit showed that Sh3.8 billion of the wrongly used money went to the Department of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) for projects that were not emergencies according to the Public Finance Management Act.
This law says that the Contingencies Fund should be used only for urgent and unexpected expenses, like natural disasters or national crises.
Additionally, Sh1.07 billion was withdrawn without any proper documents to explain why it was taken out. This lack of records makes it hard for auditors to understand if the money was used correctly or for what purpose.
Because of this, there are worries about possible fraud or misuse of funds, and there are calls for a complete investigation by anti-corruption agencies.
“The Contingencies Fund is a very important resource for real emergencies,” the Auditor General’s report said.
“Taking money out irregularly damages its purpose and lowers public trust in how national resources are managed.”
Officials from the ASALs Department have not yet replied to the accusations.
The National Treasury, which takes care of the Contingencies Fund, has said they will look into the report and take the necessary actions.
These findings come as many people are unhappy with how public money is being handled, and critics say the government is not being open and accountable.
The Auditor General has suggested that there should be stricter rules to watch over the Contingencies Fund to stop this from happening in the future.
