Senators have demanded a full audit of Mandera County’s emergency fund following revelations that Sh449.1 million spent from the kitty could not be clearly linked to beneficiaries or verified projects.
Appearing before the Senate Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif struggled to provide details on how the funds were utilised, disclosing that Sh349 million went to relief food, Sh32.2 million to water trucking, Sh55.9 million on seedlings, and Sh12 million in cash transfers, but failing to show records tying the expenditure to actual recipients.
The Committee, chaired by Senator Moses Kajwang, questioned Governor Mohamed and his team on the use of the emergency funds, highlighting gaps in accountability and documentation.
“We need assurance that the funds were properly used. If you can provide that, we will move to the next issue,” Kajwang said.
According to the governor, Sh349 million was spent on relief food during the drought, while Sh32.2 million was spent on water trucking. However, senators expressed dissatisfaction with the explanations, noting that it was difficult to trace who received water or animal feed.
The governor also admitted spending Sh55.9 million on seedlings, prompting senators to press for details on the type and distribution of the seedlings.
“Seedlings are something you need to see,” Kajwang said.
“Sh55 million worth of seedlings is how many seedlings? If we came to Mandera to oversee this expenditure, where do we find them?”
Governor Mohamed explained that the seedlings were supplied along the River Dawa for vegetables and maize, but the answer did not satisfy the committee.
“If I give farmers 10,000 avocado seedlings, I should be able to point and say those are the trees,” Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said.
At one point, Senator Sifuna corrected the governor, noting that “maize does not come from seedlings.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei added, “You know the money we are discussing, Sh55.9 million, could build around 55 ECD classrooms or fund water trucking.”
The session also covered Sh12 million listed as cash transfers to vulnerable families. Senators demanded a thorough audit to verify the recipients and purpose of all emergency fund expenditures.
Auditors told the committee that verification had been done on a sample basis, including phone calls and limited site visits. Kajwang rejected this approach as inadequate.
“Whatever you’re calling assurance here is a desktop sample. Boots must be on the ground. This county is facing drought. We cannot rely on stories,” he said.
Later, Kajwang said on Facebook that the Auditor General had been instructed to conduct a comprehensive audit of emergency-related spending, covering Sh382 million on relief and refugee assistance, Sh55.9 million on seedlings, Sh32.8 million on water trucking, and Sh459 million on scholarships and education benefits.
“The Senate expressed grave concern that the county had not established an Emergency Fund as required by law,” he said.
Former Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow criticised the county government’s spending on seedlings on X, highlighting that farmers along River Dawa often lack basic support despite the Sh55.9 million expenditure.
“Sh55.9 million on seedlings? My hometown of Rhamu on River Dawa with 22,000 hectares of farmland, doesn’t enjoy free inputs from the county administration,” Kerrow wrote.
He also questioned the high cost of ploughing services compared to the free seedling initiative, adding that better support for farmers could reduce reliance on emergency aid.
