By John Mugendi
The Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu has shockingly revealed that Sh3.3 million National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) bursaries cannot be traced in Tharaka Nithi County.
The auditor has indicated that out of Sh3.7 million purportedly given to poor students by Women Representative Beatrice Nkatha’s office, only Sh400, 000 reached the intended beneficiaries.
The report for the financial year ending June 2019 also indicates that several women groups that were reportedly issued with money cannot be accounted for since it was diverted to other activities including sharing the liquid money.
A self-help group that was said to have been given Sh165,000 to buy an incubator for hatching chicks bought an Sh106,000 worth motorbike and Sh59,000 was shared.
Ms Gathungu has also exposed that another group of 16 PDWs was given Sh189,000 also for buying incubator but shared 160,000 and the remaining 29,000 was used for table banking.
Soiled reputation
In an effort to clean her soiled reputation, Ms Nkatha said that she delivered all the Sh3.7 million bursary funds to the beneficiaries by hand and that the Auditor General is to blame since her office did not confirm with the respective school heads during the audit process.
“If the auditor general failed to confirm the disbursement of bursaries with the school heads, then I should not be blamed,” said Ms Nkatha in a press statement on Thursday.
She shockingly said that she was not aware that some groups diverted the money from the intended course since she did not do follow-up, a revelation that clearly portrays a high level of don’t-care altitude.
The audit report has shocked the residents of Tharaka Nithi County who have been hit hard by the negative effects of Covid-19 pandemic with many not able to raise fees.
Former Marimanti ward MCA Paul GK Mwabu who is a great political supporter of Ms Nkatha has asked her to exonerate herself by clearing her name at the auditor’s office failure to which he will decamp.
“I support you but if you have eaten bursaries for poor children and women, I will ditch you,” said Mr Mwabu.
Ms Nkatha is seeking reelection for the third term amid public outcry on her underperformance and the accountability queries.
