This archive report was first published on 2 November 2021.
Published on November 2, 2021, an audit report revealed that Kenya's bullet factory, Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation (KOFC), suffered a financial loss of Ksh694.3 million ($6.2 million) for the year ended June 2019.
The losses were attributed to ineffective, old, and worn-out machines, which performed at only 40 percent, resulting in a trading loss of Ksh694.3 million ($6.2 million).
According to Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu, the losses increased from Ksh470.8 million ($4.2 million) in the year to June 2018.
Kenya's military and police have been using bullets manufactured from the Eldoret-based factory since 1997, with the deficit imported.
Ms Gathungu questioned the failure of KOFC to utilize machinery that has been lying idle since the factory was built 24 years ago.
The idle machinery includes two anvil piecing machines, one prima cap manufacturing machine, five prima polishing machines, and a tracer bullet loader, valued at an unknown amount.
Ms Gathungu stated that the situation was contrary to section 72(1) (a) of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
