Nairobi, March 22 -- Members of the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance were left unimpressed after Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu failed to appear before them to answer audit queries regarding government sponsorship of students in private universities.

Mr Machogu was expected to shed light on a special report by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu that has flagged the loss of over Sh800 million under the programme where the government placed and paid tuition for students in 32 private universities.

The chair of the committee, Bumula MP Jack Wamboka, directed the CS to appear before the MPs on April 11.

The students who were placed in private universities have been caught up in the crossfire as Parliament q...