Members of Parliament have ordered a special audit into JKUAT Enterprises Limited, the commercial arm of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), over questionable financial practices and irregular allowances.
The directive was issued by the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education, led by Bumula MP Jack Wanani Wamboka, after the entity failed to provide documents showing its full list of board members. This failure raised concerns over unsupported board expenses during the 2022/23 financial year.
According to the Auditor General’s report, some board members received sitting allowances without signing attendance registers, while one individual who was not listed as a board member also received payments. Further, the report flagged outdated and incomplete appointment records, missing details on board members’ motor vehicle mileage claims, and unclear tenure dates for a National Treasury representative.
When pressed, Enterprise CEO Erastus Mvuria said that some directors participated in meetings virtually, which explained the lack of signatures. However, the committee noted that the board operated with only five members instead of the required eleven, a violation MPs described as fraudulent and unconstitutional.
The audit also exposed financial discrepancies, including inaccurate cash balances and payments for incomplete works. A notable case was the Inpo Factory Roof Project, where auditors found that despite full payment, promised changes from wooden to metallic roof supports had not been implemented.
MPs have now demanded a comprehensive list of board members, while calling on the Auditor General to conduct a thorough probe into the entity’s governance and financial management.
JKUAT Enterprises is tasked with translating university research into market-ready products and services. However, the latest revelations raise serious concerns about accountability in the institution’s commercial operations.
