This archive report was first published on 5 July 2019.
Published on July 5, 2019, taxpayers are set to lose Sh208 million that was used by the government to purchase 1,050 egg hatching machines in 2012 as they have become obsolete.
According to Youth Enterprise Development Fund CEO Josiah Moriasi, the fund had made a resolution to dispose of the hatcheries, but the process was stopped by the head of public service until the merger of the three funds is complete.
The hatcheries were to be issued to five youth groups in 210 constituencies for poultry business, but ended up gathering dust in stores in Kasarani and Mombasa.
Mr Moriasi said the fund is still paying Sh1 million annually for storage fees to the Kasarani stadia management, which means the fund has so far spent Sh7 million on the hatcheries.
‘The machines are there at Kasarani and we continue to get invoices from the stadia management to pay storage fee. We will dispose the machines even at a lower price,’ Mr Moriasi said.
The committee chairman Kathuri Murungi (South Imenti) said there is no need for taxpayers to continue paying Sh1 million annually for storage fees for hatcheries that do not benefit the intended group.
‘We need to visit Kasarani and Mombasa to see the hatcheries because we might be paying storage fees for things that are not there,’ Mr Murungi said.
Auditor General Edward Ouko in his report for the financial year 2014/2015 flagged Sh172 million relating to the purchase of the hatcheries that could not be traced.
