#auditorgeneral

UTAG-UG slams Auditor-General for denying UG management the right of response to ‘damning’ report – Nsemkeka The Secretary of the University of Ghana branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG), Jerry Joe Harrison, has strongly criticised the Auditor-General’s handling of a recent audit report involving the university, accusing the Audit Service of procedural and ethical…

UTAG-UG Secretary slams Auditor-General for denying UG management the right of response to ‘damning’ report – Nsemkeka The Secretary of the University of Ghana branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG), Jerry Joe Harrison, has strongly criticised the Auditor-General’s handling of a recent audit report involving the university, accusing the Audit Service of procedural and…

A looming land dispute has cast a shadow over the Sh15 billion Kemri project in Kirinyaga, potentially derailing its progress. The land, initially transferred to facilitate the project four years ago, has now been flagged as part of a serious irregularity in a report by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu. The audit, which was presented to Parliament, focused on the accounts of the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs for the 2022/23 financial year.

The Dispute Unfolds:

Land Transfer Issues:

The controversy revolves around the allocation of land to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) for the planned project. While the land was officially handed over to Kemri in 2020, the transfer has been questioned by the Auditor-General, raising concerns over the legitimacy of the process.

PS Motari, in his appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly last week, stated that the land belonged to his State Department. However, he clarified that his department was not involved in the allocation of the land to Kemri. He emphasized that no official documents show that the land had been transferred to Kemri by his department.

County Government's Role:

PS Motari pointed out that the Kirinyaga County Government took the decision to transfer part of the land to Kemri independently. He expressed concerns that the County Government may have overstepped its authority in doing so.

In a statement made in April 2020, then-Lands PS Dr. Nicholas Muraguri confirmed that the government had canceled the title deed held by the Kirinyaga County government and had instead issued a fresh one to Kemri, thereby formalizing the land’s new ownership.

Potential Impact on the Kemri Project:

This land dispute has raised serious questions regarding the future of the Kemri project, a high-profile initiative that is critical to Kenya’s medical research and public health sector. The project’s success relies on timely and secure access to land, and any delay or uncertainty could jeopardize the Sh15 billion investment meant to advance medical research in the region.

Path Forward:

As the dispute continues, questions remain regarding the proper legal processes followed in the transfer of the land. Stakeholders are calling for clarity on the matter, especially from the Ministry of Lands and the Kirinyaga County Government, to ensure that the project can proceed without further obstacles.