Telkom Kenya CEO Mugo Kibati. The firm has denied existence of a Sh1 billion debt owed to the industry regulator. FILE PHOTO | COURTESY The authority had gone ahead to make provisions for the debt alongside its other receivables totaling Ksh2.7 billion ($24.55 million).
Gathungu’s analysis showed that the Ksh1.07 billion ($9.1 million) was owed by Telkom Kenya, comprising of general provisions of Ksh292 million ($2.65 million) and specific provisions of Ksh780 million ($7.09 million).
The report by the Auditor-General comes barely a few months after talks to merge Telkom Kenya with competitor Airtel Kenya collapsed.
Kenya’s Auditor-General has raised concerns over a Ksh1 billion ($9.1 million) debt allegedly owed by Telkom Kenya to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), which appears to have been written off in the regulator’s books but whose existence has been denied by the mobile company.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu says the CA had recognised the Telkom debt in its books for the year ended June 2020. The authority had gone ahead to make provisions for the debt alongside its other receivables totaling Ksh2.7 billion ($24.55 million).
Gathungu’s analysis showed that the Ksh1.07 billion ($9.1 million) was owed by Telkom Kenya, comprising of general provisions of Ksh292 million ($2.65 million) and specific provisions of Ksh780 million ($7.09 million). But Telkom denied the existence of such a debt.
“Telkom Kenya Limited vide letter dated December 21, 2020, confirmed nil amount being owed to the authority. However, no reconciliation was provided for audit review explaining the discrepancy of Ksh1.07 billion ($9.1 million) between the two sets of records,” reads part of the report.
The report further shows that the National Treasury also committed to provide the telco money for frequency spectrum fee for the financial year 2020/21 despite management having provisioned for the bad and doubtful debt in full.
“Under the circumstances, the accuracy and fair statement of the reported receivables from non-exchange transactions balance of Ksh310.82 million ($2.83 million) as of June 30, 2020, could not be confirmed,” said Gathungu.
The report by the Auditor-General comes barely a few months after talks to merge Telkom Kenya with competitor Airtel Kenya collapsed.
Parliament reportedly warned the National Treasury against approving the deal.On February 8, 2019, the pair had jointly announced the signing of an agreement that would see shareholders of both firms merge their respective Mobile, Enterprise and Carrier Services businesses in Kenya.They would then operate under a joint venture company that was […]