The Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o has now fingered the governors’ accusing them of open intimidation against her office over expenditure audit queries of billions of shillings advanced to counties from the exchequer.
While appearing before the Senate County Public Investment and Special Funds committee, which is led by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, Nyakang’o accused the governors of concealing records to cover up suspect expenditure.
Further, without giving specific names of the culpable governors, she revealed that the county bosses were blocking her bid to access and review key financial records.
Nyakong’o’s office is constitutionally mandated to oversee the expenditure of public funds.
The grave allegations were laid bare amid adverse reports on government spending by the Controller of Budget and Auditor-General.
Specifically, she said her request to be granted access to review county transactions was met with a terse letter from the Council of Governors (CoG) chaired by Kirinyaga governor Anne Mumbi Kamotho warning her to stay away.
“My office requested to be given access to transactions happening at the counties but the CoG refused to grant access to review the payment statements. I will attach the letter with the threats from the CoG when addressing the committee on the issue so that you also see what I am talking about.” Nyakang’o noted.
Nyakang’o submitted that the mandate of her office ends once devolved funds have been released, adding that she only comes to do monitoring and evaluation and not an examination of the expenditure.
The CoB explained that her inability to access county accounts had led to questionable expenditures at both levels of government since there is no law providing for real time cash movements.
Effectively, the CoB can only monitor public accounts through the quarterly reports provided by public institutions.
“We have general guidelines on what should be followed by counties but I don’t have binoculars to look into what people are signing or doing in the counties,” she said.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina asked the CoB to raise the matter with the Senate for proper legislation to be formulated to compel governors to give her office real-time access to county dealings. “We have heard your frustrations and now you need to write to the Senate. The law will enable you to carry out a forensic audit to make sure only transactions requested are paid and that there are no diversions made,” said Mr Ole Kina.
“How do we support you because I can see your frustrations?” added nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana.
The Controller of Budget Regulations 2021 seek to compel the National Treasury and the Central Bank of Kenya to give the CoB real-time viewer rights to the national exchequer account, the county exchequer account and the accounts of any other public fund.
The newly gazetted regulations, currently awaiting approval by Parliament, aim to give the CoB a sharper peek into cash outflows from the Consolidated Fund, the Equalisation Fund, the County Revenue Fund and any other public accounts to ensure that accounting officers do not breach set ceilings.
