MPs Order College to Refund Ksh 170K Paid for Virtual Meeting Allowance

The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee (PIC) on Governance and Education has directed Tharaka Technical and Vocational College to pay back Ksh 170,000 paid irregularly as allowances for virtual meetings on the recruitment of staff.

This followed a session held at Bunge Tower in Parliament Buildings on March 31, 2026, as lawmakers perused reports presented by the Auditor-General on the financial years 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024.

The committee, led by Bumula MP Jack Wanami Wamboka, noted that there was no justification for the payments as the recruitment of trainers had already been assigned to a selection panel comprising board members.

“The full board had no role to play in the recruitment exercise, and any allowances paid in that regard were irregular and must be recovered,” Wamboka said.

Audit Findings Expose Irregular Payments

According to Auditor General FCPA Nancy Gathungu, the institution’s financial statement for the year ending June 2024 indicated total board expenditure of Ksh 1,903,200, which included directors’ emoluments of Ksh 1,300,700.

However, the audit report highlighted Ksh 170,000 paid to the board members for attending meetings and workshops in the review of the strategic plan and the recruitment of vocational trainers, which were not approved or justified.

“The amount includes Ksh 170,000 paid to board members for activities that were outside their mandate, as the recruitment process had already been assigned to a duly constituted selection panel,” Gathungu explained in her report.

The audit report further indicated that the accounting officer had formally appointed the selection panel through a letter dated June 5, 2023, to conduct interviews between June 12 and June 25, 2023, with the recruitment process to commence on July 3, 2023.

“This clearly demonstrates that the board had no direct function in the recruitment process, rendering the allowances paid an irregular charge to public funds,” the report noted.

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Lawmakers Raise Governance Concerns

Members of the committee, including Narok County MP Hon. Rebecca Tonkei and South Imenti MP Dr. Shadrack Mwiti, also raised concerns over procedural breaches, particularly the absence of meeting notices.

“There were no notices availed for audit verification, which is a direct contravention of the TVET Act, 2013,” Wamboka said.

“The law is clear that board members must be given at least fourteen days’ written notice before any meeting is convened, unless otherwise agreed by the requisite majority,” he added.

Wamboka pointed out the importance of strict adherence to governance frameworks, warning that lapses in documentation undermine accountability in public institutions.

“In the absence of proper documentation and compliance with statutory requirements, the committee cannot confirm the legitimacy of the payments,” he said.

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Committee Orders Recovery, Warns of Sanctions

The committee has now directed that the Ksh 170,000 be surcharged and recovered from responsible officers, signaling tougher enforcement measures against misuse of public funds.

“Public funds must be used strictly within the law. Where functions have been delegated, institutions cannot purport to duplicate roles merely to justify expenditure,” Wamboka emphasized.

He issued a stern warning to public institutions, stating, “This committee will not hesitate to take decisive action against any accounting officer or board that disregards financial regulations. Accountability is not optional, it is a constitutional obligation.”

Other institutions that appeared before the committee include Aldai Technical Training Institute, Ol’Lessos National Polytechnic, and Emsos Technical and Vocational Institute, all of which are under similar review for compliance with financial and governance standards.

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