An audit has revealed irregularities in benefits earned by an acting university vice chancellor (VC) and the acting deputy vice chancellor (DVC) amounting to millions.
The revelations were made following an audit done by a parliamentary committee. The committee in its report indicated that the allegations against the acting VC and acting DVC of Maasai Mara University is interfering with the management of the institution.
Further, the report detailed that the two have been illegally earning millions in allowances which are only viable for substantive office holders.
Moreover, the audit report showed that the VC allegedly earned an acting allowance of Ksh700,848 against the approved Ksh247,085, resulting to overpayment of Ksh453,763.
At the same time, the Acting VC and DVC Finance earned Ksh6.5 million and Ksh3.05 million respectively in allowances, only allowable to substantive office holders.
“The Committee also observed that 16 employees had earned acting allowances for more than the prescribed, 6 Months,” noted a statement from the committee.
Also Read: Embattled Maasai Mara VC Mary Walingo Reinstated
Other Accusations against the University Leadership
On the other hand, the institution was put to task to explain why there was no audit done for the 2019/2020 Financial Year.
“The VC informed the Committee that documentation for the said year are still held by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), thus the auditors were unable to audit the University.
“However, Members expressed their disappointment over the laxity displayed by the management with regard to following up the matter with the DCI,” explained the committee.
Additionally, Maasai Mara University was put on the spot after it applied to change the accounting officers and not the entire administration whom the challenges facing the institution were largely attributed to.
Also, a review of Human Resource records revealed that the total number of employees at the University was 566 out of whom, 36% were drawn from dominant ethnic community in the County contrary to Section 7(1) and (2) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008.
Woes of Institution
Since a Citizen TV’s exposé dubbed the Mara Heist in September 2019, that brought to light a grand corruption scandal that had led to the loss of over Ksh177 million belonging to the institution, the university has been in the limelight.
The then University Vice Chancellor Professor Mary Walingo was sent on leave pending investigations. She had been charged alongside four other officials from Maasai Mara University for irregularly withdrawing money in crimes dating back to 2016.
However, in 2022, she was granted temporary pardon after the Public Service Commission (PSC) ordered her reinstatement.
In June 2023, Prof Peninah Aloo-Obudho was appointed Vice Chancellor of the University, taking over from Joseph Chacha, who had retired.
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