Wamae Demands Prosecutorial Powers for Auditor General After Ksh540M Textbook Scandal
Hundreds of schools were either over-supplied or left without books, despite funds having been disbursed in full, the report revealed.
Former Roots Party deputy presidential candidate Justina Wamae. Photo/The Standard Kenya.
By Juliet Jerotich
A Ksh540 million textbook distribution scandal has reignited scrutiny of government oversight, prompting former Roots Party deputy presidential candidate Justina Wamae to demand prosecutorial powers for the Office of the Auditor General.
The scandal, outlined in a report presented to Parliament, exposes systemic failures in textbook allocation by the Ministry of Education and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
Hundreds of schools were either over-supplied or left without books, despite funds having been disbursed in full, the report revealed.
“This is happening while our secondary schools are already struggling with chronic underfunding,” Wamae posted on X, formerly Twitter. “And the sad bit is that the Auditor General will forward the report to a parliamentary committee—and we already know what will happen,” she wrote, referring to the lack of follow-up action.
She added, “Even more reason why the Office of the Auditor General should have prosecutory powers.”
According to the audit, 394 secondary schools, 94 junior secondary schools and 182 primary schools received surplus textbooks worth Ksh90.8 million.
At the same time, 415 secondary schools and hundreds of others suffered from shortages totaling Ksh295.6 million in value.
Among the anomalies, 370,732 excess books were delivered to secondary schools, while more than 1.2 million were lacking. Junior secondary and primary schools also saw mismatches, with tens of thousands of books for subjects not taught at those institutions. In total, the report flagged Ksh30.3 million worth of misallocated textbooks.
The findings show delivery errors ranging from one book to more than 1,100 extra copies per school, while shortages reached nearly 1,500 books in some institutions.
Wamae described the situation as more than a logistical lapse. “It’s a systemic failure, and without prosecution powers, the Auditor General remains toothless in the face of such gross misconduct.”
Her statement has intensified public pressure on Parliament and the Executive to hold accountable those responsible for the financial discrepancies. As underfunded schools continue to grapple with resource constraints, citizens are demanding action—and answers.
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