Demoralised staff, leaking roofs, cracked walls: Audit exposes neglect in Kenya’s embassies
The delays put Kenya’s diplomatic operations at risk, impacting staff morale and eroding confidence in the government’s ability to sustain its missions abroad.
Delayed disbursement of funds by the National Treasury left Kenyan diplomats stranded without salaries and key embassies unable to meet their financial obligations, an audit report has shown.
The audit, covering the financial year ending June 2024, shows that the Treasury disbursed Sh14.35 billion to Kenya’s diplomatic missions in quarterly tranches. However, funds were only released in the last month of each quarter, leaving many missions struggling to meet operational costs.
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“Review of records provided for audit indicated that the disbursements were done in the last month of the respective quarters. This resulted in delayed payments to local staff, foreign service allowances for home-based staff, suppliers, office expenses, and delayed procurement processes, which may have affected the country’s image abroad,” reads the report on the State Department for Foreign Affairs.
The delays put Kenya’s diplomatic operations at risk, impacting staff morale and eroding confidence in the government’s ability to sustain its missions abroad.
“In the circumstances, the delayed disbursement negatively affected staff morale, caused low confidence, and exposed the country to reputational risks,” the audit notes.
Security measures lacking
Some of the missions inspected by auditors were found to be operating under dire conditions, with buildings requiring urgent renovations and critical security measures lacking.
The report notes that the Kenya High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria, was among those identified as needing urgent repairs. It adds that a mission vehicle that had reportedly been stolen, according to a 2022 audit, had yet to be replaced, nor had an insurance claim been filed. The theft case remains open as the police have yet to make an arrest.
The chancery in Beijing, China, was found to lack CCTV cameras and security guards, while the mission in Berlin, Germany, had a leaking roof, cracked walls and other structural defects.
The audit further detailed concerns about Kenya’s mission in France, stating: “Physical verification of the chancery and review of the state department for public works assessment and inspection report of Kenya’s Chancery in Paris revealed major cracks on the wall of the chancery running from the ground floor to the third floor. There was also evidence of basement and yard flooding, ceiling leaks, and peeling wall paint.”
Land encroachment
The Kenyan Mission in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is also grappling with serious operational challenges, including the risk of land encroachment and stalled renovations.
The report notes that the five-acre parcel of land acquired in Dodoma remains unfenced, leaving it vulnerable to encroachment. The failure to secure the property has raised concerns about potential land disputes and loss of government assets.
Additionally, an inspection of the mission found that renovations on two staff houses in Mikocheni, which had been allocated approximately Sh3.4 million, have been stalled since 2020. The audit notes that the incomplete works have left the properties in a deteriorated state, further affecting the working and living conditions of personnel.
In a more critical finding, the audit disclosed that a residential house owned by one of the agencies under the mission was sold in December 2021 for Sh20 million. However, the funds from the sale had yet to be remitted to the State Department for Foreign Affairs, raising accountability concerns over the management of government assets.
The findings highlight the financial struggles facing Kenya’s foreign missions and raise concerns about the impact of delayed funding on diplomatic operations and the country’s global image.
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