Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development PS Susan Mang’eni has denied reports that minors were given Hustler Fund loans.
While appearing before the National Assembly Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives Committee on Thursday, March 6, the PS revealed that the data used by the Auditor General had errors.
She added that the errors had been fixed, maintaining that all those who received loans were of the required age.
“The data used in the audit report contained significant extraction errors," she stated.
"We have since cleaned up the records, and all individuals sampled have verified identity cards and telephone numbers."
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In her report covering the 2023/2024 Financial Year, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu exposed that slightly over Ksh31 million loans had been disbursed to Kenyans below 18 years.
The report also highlighted that some loans were given to people whose birthdates were from the future. For instance, some IDs indicated that the beneficiaries were born in 2073.
Gathungu also expressed concern on whether the government would be able to recover the loans.
"The records are therefore unreliable and the resultant data in the systems may not have adequate controls.
"In these circumstances, loan agreements with underage individuals are potentially unenforceable and increase the likelihood of default," read the report in part.
