By Peter Ochieng
Members of the Senate committee on Public Investments and Special Funds has called for a comprehensive forensic audit, into the Bungoma scholarship program during governor Wyclife Wangamati’s tenure.
Wangamati served as County Chief from 2017 to 2022. He will be remembered for sponsoring hundreds of High School students through the Bungoma County Education Support Scheme Fund.
The Senator’s decision follows alarming audit queries raised by the Auditor-General’s reports concerning several funds, including the Bungoma County Education Support Scheme Fund, the Bungoma County Youth and Women Empowerment Fund, and the Bungoma County Disaster Management Emergency Fund for the fiscal year 2019-2020.
Key concerns highlighted in the report include the un-accounted for Sh238 million shillings education support scheme fund, with beneficiaries either unidentified or untraceable.
Committee Chair, Vihiga Senator Geoffrey Osotsi emphasised on the gravity of the situation, calling for a thorough forensic investigation despite ongoing scrutiny by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Governor Kenneth Lusaka acknowledged previous efforts to address these issues, including the formation of a task force, insisting on the need for transparency and accountability in fund management.
The Auditor-General was tasked with commencing a forensic audit within 60 days.
Similar concerns raised regarding the Bungoma County Disaster Management Emergency Fund prompted the Committee to request a task force report for verification, with an update from the EACC within 14 days.
The comitee further directed timely submission of quarterly financial reports by Fund Administrators to the Office of the Controller of Budget as mandated by the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
The Osotsi-led Committee scheduled further deliberations on the Bungoma County Disaster Management Emergency Fund, for a later date.