HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 977220,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/977220/?format=api",
"text_counter": 348,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mbooni, Independent",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Erastus Nzioka",
"speaker": {
"id": 13433,
"legal_name": "Erastus Kivasu Nzioka",
"slug": "erastus-kivasu-nzioka-2"
},
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I wish to state that the House adopts the Report of the Special Funds Accounts Committee on Audited Financial Statements for Uwezo Fund for Financial Year 2016/2017 and Women Enterprise Development Fund for Financial Year 2017/2018, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday 5th November 2019. The Special Funds Accounts Committee is among the three watchdog committees of this 12th Parliament responsible for examination of reports of the Auditor-General of the following funds, laid before this House, to ensure probity, efficiency and effectiveness in application of public funds: the Equalisation Fund, the Political Parties Fund, the Judiciary Fund, the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) and any other fund established by law, as the Speaker may guide. The examination of audited accounts of Uwezo Fund and Women Enterprise Development Fund is amongst the mandate of the Committee as provided under the National Assembly Standing Order No.205A. In so doing, the Committee ascertains whether public funds have been utilised in a lawful, authorised, effective, efficient, economical and transparent manner in line with Article 95(4) (c) of the Constitution which gives this House the powers to oversee all national revenue and its expenditure under Article 229 (8) which mandates the House to consider audit reports and take appropriate actions within three months upon receipt of the reports from the Auditor-General. Hon. Deputy Speaker, Uwezo Fund was established vide Legal Notice No.21 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, on 8th September 2013, with the mandate to provide affordable loans to women, youth, and persons living with disability. The Fund also provides mentorship opportunities to enable the beneficiaries to take advantage of the 30 per cent Government procurement preference through its capacity building programme. The Women Enterprise Fund was established through Legal Notice No.147 of the Government Financial Management Women Enterprise Fund Regulations, 2007, as a semi- autonomous Government agency in the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs. It is mandated to provide accessible and affordable credit to support women to start and/or expand their businesses for wealth and employment creation since 2007 when it began its operations. The Fund is governed by an advisory board whose core responsibility is to set the strategic direction of the Fund and oversee the implementation of this strategic initiatives in accordance with relevant statutory and regulatory regimes. The Fund is headed by a CEO who is charged with the responsibility of operationalising the policies and strategies formulated by the advisory board. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, during examination of the Auditor General’s reports for these funds, the Committee made the following general observations and recommendations on Uwezo Fund as contained in the Report: 1. On lack of compliance with the Public Audit Act, 2015, and the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, the Committee observed that the accounting officer of the Fund failed to submit relevant supporting documents for audit review. In addition, documents were not submitted within a reasonable timeline in contravention of the provisions of Section 62 of the Public Audit Act, 2015, which compels the accounting officers to provide information to auditors when need arises. In addition, the officers contravened provisions of Section 68 of the Public Finance Management Act that bestows all the responsibilities of proper management of the Fund’s books of accounts to the accounting The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}