Sakaja’s 'Dishi na County' programme under scrutiny over billions in irregular spending
In the school feeding programme, the Auditor General's report found that the county paid the food provider Sh25 per plate, despite the contract requiring only Sh20 from the county, with learners contributing the remaining Sh5.
Governor Johnson Sakaja’s flagship development projects in Nairobi County have come under intense scrutiny following an audit that has revealed widespread irregularities, questionable payments, and possible violations of procurement laws.
The Auditor General’s report for the financial year ending June 2024 has flagged billions of shillings in irregular spending across several county initiatives, including the Dishi na County school feeding programme and two major housing projects.
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In the school feeding programme, the report found that the county paid the food provider Sh25 per plate, despite the contract requiring only Sh20 from the county, with learners contributing the remaining Sh5.
This resulted in excess payments and raised concerns over adherence to contractual terms.
“Therefore, the County Executive should have paid the organisation Sh20 per plate, as part of the contract cost of Sh25. Instead, the County paid an amount of Sh25 for each plate served,” reads the report.
A total of Sh262.26 million was paid during the year under review, yet invoices reviewed showed Sh345.96 million had been billed at the agreed rate.
Meanwhile, the learners made their payments directly to the implementer, further complicating accountability.
The report also revealed that Food for Education, the implementer, was engaged without a signed agreement or Memorandum of Understanding, making it difficult for the audit to determine how the organisation was contracted.
Additionally, the audit found no evidence of proper management of Sh145.7 million (Euro 1,005,000) donated by the Embassy of France to support the feeding programme for 25,000 vulnerable children in ECDE and public primary schools in Nairobi.
The report notes that the county lacks any formal system or guidelines for handling such donations.
“The audit could not ascertain the accountability for these funds. In addition, there were no established measures by the County Executive regarding the management of donations received, as there were no guidelines in place for handling such donations,” the report states.
Infrastructural concerns were also highlighted, especially regarding the Toi Primary Central Kitchen.
Just one year after completion, the kitchen had visible cracks, no water connection from the county, and an electricity meter had not been installed. The implementer had to connect water at their own expense. Other issues included disconnected gas pipes and poor pavement construction.
At Mutuini Primary School, the audit noted that meals were being served to 17 schools, five of them high schools, at Sh30 per plate. The report indicated that this was beyond the programme’s intended scope and considered irregular.
The county’s affordable housing programme was also found to be non-compliant with procurement laws.
Contracts worth Sh31 billion for housing projects in Woodley and Kariobangi North were signed without clearance from the Attorney General as required for all deals above Sh5 billion under Section 134(2) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015.
Apart from these flagship projects, the audit questioned other county expenditures involving bursaries, scholarships, street lighting, insurance services, and consultancy contracts, citing either missing documentation or non-compliance with public finance rules.
The findings now place Nairobi County’s top initiatives at the centre of accountability concerns, with the Auditor General warning of weak controls and a lack of proper financial oversight across multiple departments.
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