Thika Technical Training Institute on the spot over misuse of funds

𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

A recent audit of Thika Technical Training Institute’s records has revealed several troubling anomalies. Key lease agreements and approved rental rates were missing, while the rent register showed only 15 houses rented to employees despite payroll records indicating 43 tenants, raising questions about incomplete revenue records.

The Institute also lacked approved policies on staff and student housing or facility hiring, and the rates for facility hire had not been updated to reflect current market prices, putting the reported revenue of Kshs 546 million in doubt.

Payments to Board Members for meeting allowances totaling over Kshs 600,000 were made without supporting meeting minutes or prior approval for venues outside the registered office. Procurement processes were also flawed, with missing documentation such as pre-qualification lists, tender evaluations, and contract agreements, making it impossible to verify the legitimacy of payments and contracts.

Board Members received accommodation allowances exceeding the approved daily rates, further highlighting poor compliance with financial guidelines.

Similar issues were noted at Machakos University, where advance payments were made without required security bonds and legal services were procured without Attorney General approval or service agreements. The University also showed ethnic imbalance in staffing and prolonged acting appointments beyond legal limits.

At Katine Technical Training Institute, irregularities included excessive travel allowances and extended acting appointments contrary to public service laws.

As a result, the audit committee imposed surcharges of Kshs 5.2 million on Thika’s Board Members and Kshs 3 million on Katine’s principal and board member for mismanagement of funds.