Parliament summons PM over Auditor’s report

KIGALI - Prime Minister Bernard Makuza will today appear before a joint session of Parliament to explain to lawmakers what the government is doing to crack down on embezzlers of taxpayers’ money mentioned in the 2007 Auditor General’s report. During the session, Deputies and Senators are expected to put to task the Premier to explain what the government is doing to recover the lost and embezzled funds. The Auditor General of State Finances Evelyn Kamagaju, presented her 2007 report before bother chambers of Parliament in March this year. Kamagaju’s report indicated that 122 out of 125 audit reports prepared in 99 institutions indicated that books of accounts were not well prepared. Weaknesses identified by the audit included non-respect of the organic law relating to finance and state property where reports are not submitted on time, failure to indicate public debts in the books of accounts, bank accounts that were not indicated and errors in preparations of civil servants’ salaries. Also cited were failure to follow up on district finances and awarding tenders without respecting procurement procedures. The report unearthed a total of Rwf6.5b of taxpayers’ money missing or unaccounted for. Kamagaju told Parliament then that 86 percent of the funds unaccounted for were in the Local Government ministry.The Auditor General has in the past complained that some institutions were not cooperative during the auditing exercise. Ends

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Parliament summons PM over Auditor’s report