Ombudsman under fire for Sh35 million in unaccounted travel expenses

The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), Kenya's independent oversight body, is facing scrutiny after a damning audit report revealed Sh35 million in questionable spending on travel and allowances.

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu flagged the CAJ headed by its Chairperson Florence Kajuju for its inability to provide basic documentation to support these expenditures.

This included a lack of passports, boarding passes, meeting schedules, travel justifications, trip reports, or any evidence of benefits derived from the journeys.

The report, which covers the 2022/23 financial year, details over Sh10 million spent on foreign travel and per diems, with a significant portion lacking proper justification.

Additionally, domestic travel and allowances exceeded Sh25 million, with over Sh8.5 million unsupported by necessary paperwork.

"The expenditure amount for foreign travel and subsistence expenses was Sh10,199,942, out of which Sh7,766,160 was not supported," the report stated.

Further irregularities were identified concerning mileage allowances. The CAJ claimed Sh278,795 for personal vehicle usage without providing any justification for the lack of official transportation.

The audit also unearthed questionable spending on goods and services, with the CAJ spending Sh10 million on various items, including a concerning Sh566,984 in unreceipted lunch expenses.

"Due to these circumstances, the accuracy and regularity of expenditure totalling Sh16,905,851could not be confirmed," the audit concluded.

The report further highlighted irregularities in furniture and equipment procurement, where the CAJ spent Sh4.7 million.

While Sh2 million had been budgeted for purchases from special groups, such as people with disabilities or youth-owned businesses, no documentation was provided to verify these claims.

Additionally, descriptions of the procured items were absent from spending schedules, a clear violation of procurement regulations.

The CAJ's performance under the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) program, designed to empower marginalized groups, also fell short.

Out of a total procurement expenditure of Sh189 million, only Sh20 million, or 11 per cent, went towards contracts awarded to women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

This stands in stark contrast to the legal requirement of allocating 30 per cent of such contracts to special groups as mandated by the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act of 2015.

"Given these circumstances, the regularity of expenditure incurred on procurement of goods and services by the Commission could not be confirmed, and management was in breach of the law," the report stated.

The audit also revealed the CAJ's non-compliance with its own 2016 human resource policy manual, which outlines guidelines for a regulated transport logistics system.

The report pointed out the complete absence of a transport policy within the CAJ, hindering effective management of their transportation resources.

The Kenyan public awaits further developments as the government investigates these concerning financial practices within the country's ombudsman institution.