The Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) on Thursday held the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) accountable over persistent delays in audit reports, growing concerns about Kenya’s public debt, and internal corruption allegations.
Deputy Auditor General Isaac Kamau appeared before the committee, where he was questioned on audit backlogs that have hindered county revenue allocations under Article 229(8) of the Constitution. Lawmakers voiced concern that the delays were affecting the timely release of critical funds to county governments.
“We are lagging behind by two years. Without up-to-date audited reports, counties are denied timely support,” said Rarieda MP Caroli Omondi. He called for a comprehensive audit of the country’s public debt and an account of tax waivers issued by government agencies. “We need to see a full list of what we owe as a country,” he emphasized.
Omondi also urged the OAG to propose legislative reforms that promote fiscal discipline and enhance compliance, especially in monitoring digital platforms such as the eCitizen portal, which handles significant public funds.
Concerns over corruption within the OAG were also raised. Vice Chairperson William Kamket (Tiaty) expressed alarm over claims that some institutions were allocating budgets for bribes to auditors. “That’s disturbing. To what extent does corruption among your staff affect your credibility?” he asked.
Geoffrey Mulanya echoed this concern, questioning why some accounting officers were budgeting for audit processes without any involvement from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). “If that’s happening without EACC interaction, where is the accountability?” he posed.
In his defense, Kamau highlighted ongoing collaboration with EACC and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to address internal integrity issues. He also cited preventive measures such as regular staff rotations, mandatory signing of a code of ethics, and post-assignment reviews.
Kamau confirmed that a comprehensive Public Debt Report would be presented during the first quarter of the upcoming financial year. He also addressed criticism about media reporting, noting that accuracy in mainstream reporting on audits had improved to 92% due to ongoing engagements with journalists.
Committee member Gitonga challenged the OAG on its own accountability mechanisms. “How do you measure your performance? Public trust hinges on the transparency and credibility of your audits,” he said.
Kamau acknowledged that the turnaround time for audits remains a challenge but committed to reforms aimed at making audit reports timelier and more relevant.
