Auditor General has revealed issues concerning Damaris Munyau, the principal of Kathiani Girls High School, leading to increased calls for her transfer

 


Damaris Munyao, the principal of Kathiani High School, is facing mounting pressure from stakeholders to either request a voluntary transfer or face forced relocation when the new term begins in 2026.

The demand for her voluntary transfer has arisen following the recent Auditor General's report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, which highlighted discrepancies in her management practices.

Advocates for her transfer assert that since her appointment in 2022, the academic standards and performance of the school have been unsatisfactory, with the average score remaining at a B for the past three years.

Additionally, there are allegations that under her leadership, the school has not experienced any significant infrastructure improvements, despite parents contributing development fees annually.

Her administration is characterized by a “one-man rule,” where she exerts control over teachers and employs high-handed tactics, intimidation, coercion, and threats against those who challenge her policies or hold differing views.

Due to inadequate managerial abilities, she has amassed a significant number of outstanding bills; however, the parents consistently pay fees on time as she implemented a 'ZERO BALANCE' policy regarding school fees.

According to the report, the financial statements' statement of assets and liabilities indicates a payables balance of Kshs.12,932,621. Nevertheless, this balance includes trade payables amounting to Kshs.327,707, which have remained unpaid for over one (1) year.

This situation contravenes Section 53(8) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, which stipulates that 'an Accounting Officer shall not initiate any procurement proceedings until they are satisfied that adequate funds to fulfill the obligations of the resulting contract(s) are reflected in the approved budget estimates.'

In this context, Management has violated the law. Included in the expenditures is Kshs.402,000 allocated to the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association.

However, KESSHA is a welfare organization that exclusively represents School Principals. The organization is not recognized within the Government Funding system, and there is no guarantee that it has established effective, efficient, and transparent financial management and internal control systems to oversee the funds provided by schools.

In this context, Management has violated the law. As reported in the previous year, the ownership of the 4.1 hectares of land occupied by the School is held by the Machakos County Government, which acts as the trustee.

The School received an allotment letter on 27 June 1995, reference file No. 172496, for the 4.1 hectares. Although efforts have been made to secure the title, the transfer of ownership has not been completed.

Furthermore, the same parcel of land is also utilized by other government entities, including the Sub County Headquarters, the Kenya Police, and the Ministry of Education, among others. In this context, the ownership and secure custody of the fixed assets could not be verified.

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