Meru county under the able hands of Hon Kiraitu Murungi has joined the leagues of Hon Ken Lusaka, former Bungoma governor who bought a wheelbarrow for Sh.109, 000 .
According to Auditor-General Edward Ouko, the county government paid Sh4.3 million for the earthworms’ project without a needs assessment.
According to the report, the drums remained idle at the county stores six months after delivery. The auditor-general also cited inflation of the price of plastic drums from Sh1, 000 (market price) to Sh3, 000.
“…The total cost of Sh1.8 million was exorbitant compared to the market price of Sh600,000 hence casting doubt on the value for money spent on the procurement of 600 plastic drums…” the report states.
Meru County Assembly Agriculture Committee Chairman Paul Bagine said the earthworms’ project was meant to support poultry farming in the county.
Type of drums in question
Also questioned by the auditor-general is the county’s ballooning wage bill for the 4,584 employees, which jumped by Sh1.26 billion in one financial year.
According to the report, the county paid Sh4.39 billion in employees remuneration in 2017/2018 compared to Sh3.12 billion paid in the 2016/2017 financial year.
The wage bill is above the set limit of 35 percent of the approved budget as set in the Public Finance Management Act.
Mr Ouko also cited irregular employment of staff where the office of the governor hired four advisors under positions which were not budgeted for. The positions were not established by the County Public Service Board as required by