Auditor General Exposes Sh1.16bn Counties Bursary Scam
Kenyan county system has been hit with a major scandal involving the mismanagement and theft of bursary funds earmarked for underprivileged but academically gifted students.
The country’s Auditor General, Nancy Gathungu, recently conducted an audit of bursary funds in ten counties and uncovered a systemic pattern of corruption in managing these funds.
The audit reports reveal that the counties have been disbursing funds to non-existent students and institutions and making double disbursements to beneficiaries who share the same admission numbers.
Furthermore, ward bursary committees are failing to approve the disbursements, which is meant to ensure that only deserving students receive the funds.
The 2020-2021 reports come in the wake of the exposure of widespread theft and corruption involving the Constituency Development Fund bursaries, which are managed by the National Government’s Constituency Development Funds.
In most cases, these members are under the MPs’ influence.
The reports analyze bursary reports from Wajir, Baringo, Trans Nzoia, Kiambu, Uasin Gishu, West Pokot, Narok, Machakos, Tana River, and Kwale counties.
In Baringo, the county revealed conflicting amounts for the bursary funds disbursed during the year, and there were also other glaring irregularities in the management of the funds.
The county reported spending KES 19.45 million in its financial statements, but in the supporting schedules, the figure stands at KES 29.44 million.
Out of this expenditure, KES 216,000 was disbursed to 29 students without admission numbers, KES 335,000 was released to 53 students who shared the same name of institution and admission numbers, and KES 2.81 million was paid to 343 students without cheque numbers or supporting student names and admission numbers.
In Narok, the county awarded KES 130.06 million under the Narok county bursary fund. Still, the disbursements were not supported by any documents, including a schedule of beneficiaries, minutes of the board of management, or ward bursary committee minutes.
The criteria for the ward bursaries, declarations, endorsements from headteachers or principals, research conducted by the committee, and data on student eligibility should have been provided for audit.
In Tana River, out of the KES 147.99 million reportedly disbursed to various schools, bursaries worth KES 48.50 million were not supported by the resolution of the ward fund board that authorized such disbursements.
Another KES 43.98 million disbursed was not supported by acknowledgment letters from the respective schools, colleges, or other institutions, raising concerns that the funds may have reached the schools.
The application forms and payment schedules for bursary disbursements to 108 students had no admission numbers.
In Kiambu, the county reported disbursing KES 100 million under the Kiambu Education Bursary Fund. Still, the disbursements should have been endorsed by the ward committee minutes. Bursary application registers with names and schools or acknowledgment of receipt by beneficiaries in selected schools.
In Wajir, the county spent KES 82.00 million under the Wajir County Bursary Fund, but the funds were not approved by the Finance CEC, contrary to provisions of section 149(2) of the PFM Act, 2012.
In Machakos, the county reported spending KES 34.30 million on bursaries for 285 students who successfully applied for the fund, but 308 students ultimately received the funds, exceeding the number of applicants by 23, casting doubt
Auditor General Exposes Sh1.16bn Counties Bursary Scam
