Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu is in fresh trouble over the use of Sh105 million in the rehabilitation programme by his administration dubbed ‘Kaa Sober'.
Auditor General Edward Ouko has poked holes in the use of money in the controversial programme initiated by Waititu to rehabilitate drug and alcohol addicts in the county.
There was no documentation to support the numerous expenditure incurred under the programme, sparking speculation ‘Kaa Sober’ could have been a cash cow.
Ouko audited the financial books of the Kiambu County Alcoholic Drinks Control Fund for the year ending June 30, 2018.
The report was tabled in Parliament by Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen last Thursday.
Ouko noted that details of the beneficiaries, payment voucher numbers and item descriptions were lacking in the vouchers posted in cash books as evidence of expenditure of Sh105,207,560 channelled towards the programme.
Further, payments of Sh6,441,818 posted in the cash book was not supported by documentary evidence.
“Consequently, the underlying primary financial record used as a basis for preparing the financial statements of the fund for the year could not be determined,” the report read.
The management of the fund was put on the spot over unexplained spending of Sh7,462,000 that was purportedly paid to the addicts.
Payments were not supported with adequate payment details of the recipients, thus, the auditor could not confirm the propriety of the expenditure.
Ouko also faulted the management for failing to provide the fund’s budget for 2017-18 for audit review.
“Therefore, details of sources of revenue and how much revenue was to be applied could not be verified. In the absence of an approved budget, it was not possible to determine whether the objectives of the fund were achieved."
The programme, which started soon after Waititu was elected to office in 2017, was taking up Sh2 million per day.
Interestingly, the programme itself and the estimated Sh700 million it gobbled over the period before it was terminated in February, was not approved by the county assembly.
About 5,078 addicts reportedly benefited from the programme. During rehabilitation, the youths earned a Sh400 daily stipend – Sh300 as wages and Sh100 for lunch and breakfast – for manual jobs.
Waititu said he launched the programme to fight alcoholism through the creation of employment for the youth.
However, several leaders among them Senator Kimani Wamatangi, his nominated counterpart Isaac Mwaura, Woman Representative Gathoni wa Muchomba and MPs Moses Kuria (Gatundu South) and Patrick Wainaina questioned the viability and legality of the programme.
Waititu has been on the limelight for all the wrong reasons in the past weeks.
Last week, EACC detectives raided his lavish home in Runda in search of documents to sustain prosecution in an alleged loss of Sh588 million in the county government.
Early last month, he was put on the spot over Sh2.5 billion bizarre expenditures during his first year in office.
He budgeted for State House affairs, pension for retired presidents and South Sudan peace initiatives.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
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