Parliament has put the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) under pressure over allegations of mismanaged funds and controversial land deals.
The authority was questioned by the Public Investments Committee on Social Services (PIC-SSA) on September 17, chaired by Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe.
MPs wanted answers over the use of Ksh355 million, about 21% of NITA’s budget for the 2016/2017 financial year, which went unspent.
They also uncovered missing cheques worth Ksh12.8 million, allegedly linked to a former employee, Ksh44.5 million in staff advances yet to be recovered, and Ksh18.3 million in uncollected training levies from defaulting employers.
Lawmakers expressed concern over NITA’s poor handling of assets. The main issue raised was the transfer of NITA land in Mombasa to private developers.
According to the audit, the land was exchanged for a parcel in Bombolulu, which had been occupied by squatters since 1996, leaving NITA without usable property.
“We need to know who this powerful private developer is and under what circumstances this allocation was made,” Wangwe asked during the hearing.
Despite repeated questions, NITA officials failed to provide adequate details about the transactions or identify the developers involved.
The committee also criticized the authority’s poor record-keeping.
The audit revealed an incomplete fixed assets register, missing ownership documents for land and buildings, and even a vehicle donated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) that could not be accounted for.
“These submissions are not enough and are disorganised.We cannot continue with such shallow responses to serious audit queries involving public funds,” Wangwe said.
The MPs agreed that NITA had not prepared properly for the session.
They directed the authority to reorganize its records and provide detailed documentation within two weeks. NITA has been asked to appear again before the PIC-SSA on October 1, 2025.
MPs wanted answers over the use of Ksh355 million, about 21% of NITA’s budget for the 2016/2017 financial year, which went unspent.
They also uncovered missing cheques worth Ksh12.8 million, allegedly linked to a former employee, Ksh44.5 million in staff advances yet to be recovered, and Ksh18.3 million in uncollected training levies from defaulting employers.
Lawmakers expressed concern over NITA’s poor handling of assets. The main issue raised was the transfer of NITA land in Mombasa to private developers.
According to the audit, the land was exchanged for a parcel in Bombolulu, which had been occupied by squatters since 1996, leaving NITA without usable property.
“We need to know who this powerful private developer is and under what circumstances this allocation was made,” Wangwe asked during the hearing.
Despite repeated questions, NITA officials failed to provide adequate details about the transactions or identify the developers involved.
The committee also criticized the authority’s poor record-keeping.
The audit revealed an incomplete fixed assets register, missing ownership documents for land and buildings, and even a vehicle donated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) that could not be accounted for.
“These submissions are not enough and are disorganised.We cannot continue with such shallow responses to serious audit queries involving public funds,” Wangwe said.
The MPs agreed that NITA had not prepared properly for the session.
They directed the authority to reorganize its records and provide detailed documentation within two weeks. NITA has been asked to appear again before the PIC-SSA on October 1, 2025.
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