Kenyatta University management is on the spot after failing to account for millions of shillings which were allocated to the higher education institution for development projects.
The Members of the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education have expressed concerns over Ksh600 million which was allocated to the university for projects since 2015.
According to the MPs, part of the money had been stolen since the institution cannot account for the funds, noting that some of the projects did not take off even after they were allocated millions of shillings.
The legislators made these claims while on an inspection tour of Kenyatta University and the Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital (KUTRRH) on Wednesday.
“At least 12 projects have stalled even after they were allocated money,” said the committee’s chairman, Bumula MP, Jack Wamboka.
Some of the various projects at KUTRRH which had been allocated as much as Ksh200 million but are nonexistent include a multi-million Children’s Hospital, recreational center, and an economic studies facility.
Wamboka said members of the successive managements of the university have been summoned to parliament over the alleged misappropriation of the taxpayers’ money.
Also summoned to appear before the committee, are Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u and former Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua.
The two will be expected to explain to parliament why KUTRRH was delinked from the university.
The committee also took issue with KUTRRH management which has allegedly locked out KU medical students from accessing the hospital’s facilities for teaching and training purposes.
However, former KU Vice Chancellor Prof Olive Mugenda, who is now the chairperson of the KUTRRH board, has dismissed reports that the hospital has denied KU medical students access to its facilities for training purposes.
“We had discussions with the Health Cabinet Secretary and granted the hospital the legal mandate to offer the needed training,” said Mugenda during a visit by the Senate Committee on Health on July 30, 2023.
By Thuita Jaswant
Get more stories from our website: Education News
To write to us or offer feedback, you can reach us through: editor@educationnews.
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper For timely updates.
