The County Assembly Forum (CAF) swore in its new members this week in a ceremony that proceeded as scheduled despite ongoing concerns over audit queries that have cast a shadow on the forum’s financial transparency.
The high-profile event, held at Eka Hotel in Nairobi, brought together newly elected Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) from all 47 counties. These members were selected to represent their regions in the CAF, a national platform aimed at promoting cooperation among county legislatures, sharing best practices, and advocating for legislative reforms within Kenya’s devolved system of governance.
Newly sworn-in CAF Chairperson Seth Kamanza urged members to embrace integrity and accountability as they begin their new roles. He emphasized the need to strengthen the legal framework surrounding the forum to close existing governance loopholes.
“I embark on a journey to ensure that this forum remains pivotal in shaping devolution and influencing national discourse. We cannot allow accountability issues to derail the important work we do,” Kamanza said in his address to the assembly after taking the oath of office.The ceremony came just days after reports from the Office of the Auditor General flagged CAF for questionable expenditures and irregular procurement practices. These unresolved audit concerns have prompted unease among civil society organizations and some MCAs, raising questions about transparency in the forum’s leadership.
Addressing the integrity concerns, CAF Secretary General Hon. Chege Mwaura reiterated the forum’s commitment to transparency and lawful auditing processes.
“CAF has played a critical role in lobbying for increased county budgets, better welfare and training for MCAs, and in protecting devolution from overreach by the national government. We are open to any audit process and urge both the Senate and Parliament to support us in this,” Mwaura said.
As the new leadership takes office, all eyes are on how it will respond to the audit findings and work to rebuild public trust in the forum’s operations.
