Kenya went almost a year without air quality reports after a standoff between the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and a South African supplier left crucial monitoring equipment idle.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu revealed in her review of NEMA’s accounts for the year ending June 30, 2024, that the authority’s Sh67 million air quality monitoring system was inactive between February and November last year. The lapse occurred after NEMA failed to pay the required annual license fees to the supplier.
“The authority could not, therefore, generate air quality reports to disseminate to the public and other users during the period the equipment was idle,” Gathungu noted.
The audit also highlighted structural weaknesses within NEMA, including a weak revenue collection system. The agency relies on self-declaration of project values by clients, with only one quantity surveyor reviewing thousands of annual applications. This system leaves room for errors, collusion, or fraud.
Further, NEMA lacks a comprehensive database of regulated facilities, weakening oversight over critical sectors such as petrol stations, hospitals, manufacturers, and agricultural processors.
Delays in implementing the authority’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system were also flagged. By December 2024, only 35 percent of the system was operational, with no explanation provided for the delay.
The Auditor General questioned the NEMA board’s spending of Sh5.6 million on field visits, saying it exceeded its governance mandate under the Mwongozo Code. Staff shortages remain a concern, with 23 percent of positions vacant, raising risks of overstretched personnel and compromised service delivery.
The findings underscore the need for urgent reforms at NEMA to restore accountability, ensure timely reporting, and strengthen oversight of environmental standards across the country.
