Ndung’u Wainaina, the Executive Director for International Centre for Policy and Conflict (ICPC). [Photo/daily post]
The 47 county governments have been urged to put in place stringent measures to fight wanton corruption.
A group of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) based in Mombasa under the umbrella ‘The Right to Know’ underscored the need for improved financial management to protect the ‘future of devolution’.
Addressing the press on Friday in Mombasa they accused the devolved units of being impervious to criticism and lacking in transparency in the management of public resources.
They expressed concern that with the advent of devolution, blatant theft of public resources was becoming commonplace.
Led by Ndung’u Wainaina, the Executive Director for International Centre for Policy and Conflict (ICPC) they said it is ‘nauseating’ to see the office of the Auditor-General exposing ruthless expenditure of devolved resources ‘year in year out’.
Wainaina said it ‘cannot be business as usual’ and that the atrocious waste and theft of public funds must be criminalised and those implicated in corruption scandals held to account.
He said it appears those entrusted with public resources at the counties are less concerned with the welfare of the citizens.
‘For example in Mombasa County the Auditor-General’s report for the 2016/2017 financial year show that the devolved unit operates 22 suspicious bank accounts,’ he said.
The activist said the latest audit also questioned the award of tender to eight county roads at a cost of Sh. 60 million that appears to be non-existent.
He said the Auditor-General report also cited the failure by the coastal county to bank revenues running into millions of shillings.
Evans Kasena Programmes Manager Kwacha Africa, a youth managed NGO said those pilfering public resources at the counties were making ‘devolution unattractive to the citizens’.
Kasena noted it appears that those in charge of the affairs of the counties are more interested in power and controlling resources than service delivery.
He said runaway corruption is a threat to the future of the devolved units and urged the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to stamp out the scourge.