On Friday, November 17, 2023.
The County Assembly Committee on Public Investments and Accounts under the stewardship of Hon. Gabriel Munyao (Kauwi) today concluded its week-long inspection exercise in a quest to get answers to audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General on various projects across the County. Among the queries noted by the Office of the Auditor General ranges from poor workmanship, stalled construction projects, unutilized hospital equipment and lack of proper projects documentation.
Today, the Hon. Munyao led committee made its first stop at Kauwi Sub-county hospital where they inspected a Ksh. 8.7 million stalled X-Ray room and the unutilized X-Ray machine in the facility. The committee established that the contract for the X-Ray room project was terminated when it was 70% complete.
On the unutilized X-Ray machine which has been laying idle at the facility since 2019, the committee learnt that this is occasioned by the delay in completion of the X-Ray room where the machine is to be installed.
Later, the committee visited Mwingi Level IV Hospital where Honourable Members inspected the Ksh. 20 million stalled new mortuary building, Ksh. 65 million medical ward that stalled at foundation level, a Ksh 17 million tuition block at KMTC Mwingi that stalled at slab level, and a Ksh. 30 million perimeter wall that is yet to be completed. The committee established that the construction of new mortuary project stalled when it was 80% complete. The committee also found out that the Medical Ward and the KMTC tuition block both stalled at 1%, while the perimeter wall was partially done
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The committee called on the executive arm of the county government to ensure prudent use of public money by ensuring completion of stalled projects before initiating new ones. ”This committee remains resolute in its pursuit of truth, accountability and the welfare of the public interest. We must create and maintain a strong foundation of good governance and responsible resource management not only in health sector but in all sectors’’, said committee chairperson Hon. Munyao.
The information collected by the committee will form the basis to interrogate all the stakeholders in the affected sectors so as to ascertain whether the tax payer’s money has been used appropriately. This in line with the committee’s oversight mandate.
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