The Vice Chancellor of the University of Embu, Prof. Daniel Njiru, has been slapped with a Sh3.8 million fine for spending public funds without the requisite approvals. The Parliamentary Investment Committee on Governance and Education has directed that the amount be paid by the VC in his individual capacity, citing abuse of office and gross incompetence.
Committee chairperson Jack Wamboka, while tabling the findings, said Prof. Njiru unilaterally diverted millions of shillings meant for the implementation of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to other purposes, including refurbishing the university’s infrastructure. “You have no such powers to change what the money was meant for,” Wamboka said during the committee’s session on Thursday.
According to Auditor General Nancy Gathungu’s report for the 2013-14 financial year, the funds initially earmarked by the Ministry of Education for the CBA were never refunded despite a formal directive to do so. An outstanding balance of Sh81.5 million was still unaccounted for at the time of the audit.
Prof. Njiru defended his actions, stating that the institution, then a newly established constituent college of the University of Nairobi, had received verbal approval to use the funds for infrastructure repairs. He cited the urgent need to upgrade dilapidated facilities inherited from the Embu Agricultural Staff Training College.
The committee, however, rejected his explanation, stating that all financial reallocations must be formally sanctioned by the university’s Council and the parent ministry.
In addition to the misuse of CBA funds, the University of Embu was also flagged for exceeding the legal wage bill threshold. The audit revealed that 54.9 percent of the institution’s Sh1.4 billion revenue was spent on employee remuneration, far above the allowed limit.
Meanwhile, the University of Nairobi management was fined Sh500,000 for submitting audit responses late. Officials were sent away by the committee after appearing without the required documents, having only submitted them hours before the hearing.
The committee has given Prof. Njiru six months to settle the fine from his own resources.
