School principals risk being surcharged for transferring public funds to the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) and the Catholic Principals Schools Association without proper legal authority, Parliament has warned.
The warning came from the National Assembly's Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education during scrutiny of Auditor-General reports covering the 2020/2021 to 2024/2025 financial years.
St Mary's Girls High School Igoji Chief Principal Florence Mutwiri was questioned over Sh992,950 transferred to the two associations, with auditors reportedly unable to confirm value for money. The committee questioned the legal basis for channelling public resources to the associations, which were described during the proceedings as welfare organisations serving school principals but not recognised within the government funding framework.
Principals Warned of Personal Financial Liability
Bomachoge Chache MP Alpha Miruka challenged the legal basis for the payments, warning that principals could be held personally liable and required to refund the money if the expenditure was found to violate applicable financial regulations.
Mutwiri told the committee that the funds supported activities such as training teacher chaplains and capacity-building programmes for principals. However, she acknowledged that the arrangement was not anchored in a specific law.
Kasipul MP Boyd Were warned that principals risked being surcharged and directed schools to suspend remittances to KESSHA pending consultations with the Ministry of Education. Igembe Central MP Daniel Karitho insisted that public funds could not be transferred between accounts without the required approvals, while Central Imenti MP Moses Kirima said the case should serve as a warning to other school administrators.
The committee also examined Sh383,525 reportedly transferred to KESSHA for co-curricular activities. Mutwiri acknowledged that the audit queries had prompted principals to reconsider the arrangements.
Committee to Seek Ministry Clarification
The committee, chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu, is expected to seek clarification from the Ministry of Education on the status of the two associations and the regulatory framework governing payments to them. The ministry's response could clarify the legality of the arrangements and guide principals on the procedures required before public funds are committed to professional associations.
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