Kenya’s Foreign Affairs properties in foreign missions are in a sorry state, according to a report from the Auditor-General’s inspection.
The report identified unsatisfactory issues regarding the use, maintenance, security, and management of government assets.
Lawmakers have criticised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for failing to ensure the proper management and upkeep of multi-billion shilling properties owned by the country.
The audit report showed that the Kenyan government owned five properties in New York, with one property housing the Chancery and consulate, while the other four were residentials, all without insurance coverage.
In Washington DC, the government owned five properties, including the Embassy Chancery, the ambassador’s residence, two vacant residential houses, and the Finance Attaché’s residential house.
The audit report revealed that the Kenyan government’s uninsured property in New York sits on two acres of land and has a residential building known as Kenya House.
Despite this, the government has been paying rent for more than 10 years on a leased property for the Kenyan ambassador to the United Nations, incurring an annual rent expense of Sh23.31 million.
Lawmakers have questioned why some individuals at the State department have chosen not to improve the facilities, despite the National Assembly appropriating funds for the country’s foreign missions.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei countered that the State department could not undertake the refurbishments because it was being starved of cash by the National Treasury.
The Public Accounts Committee, however, rejected the proposal to sell the structures, saying that it is not the responsibility of the National Treasury to advise on the sale of the houses.
