Embu: The office of the Auditor-General has commenced discussions with County Assemblies with a view to empower them to play their oversight role effectively. AG Nancy Gathungu emphasized that County Assemblies, comprising elected members at the grassroots, are strategically positioned to ensure prudent usage and management of public resources across the country.
According to Kenya News Agency, Gathungu highlighted that Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) are familiar with the projects they have approved, the budgets they have appropriated, and the developments on the ground regarding implementation. She stressed the importance of County Assemblies being the initial point of engagement to discuss reports and provide recommendations that the executive and other entities must implement for continuous service delivery.
Speaking in Embu after a meeting with County Assembly leadership, Gathungu expressed the intention for County Assemblies to strengthen their oversight role. She suggested that the Senate should focus more on broader policy and legislative issues concerning devolution, leaving operational issues to be managed at the County Assembly level, as mandated by the constitution.
The Auditor-General also addressed concerns regarding the effective use of public resources, noting issues arising from inherited pending bills in various counties. Counties have reported prioritizing the payment of these bills over development projects. Gathungu stated that an agreement has been reached with counties to handle arrears concurrently with development projects where possible.
Furthermore, Gathungu advised counties to reduce the number of projects at both national and county levels, emphasizing the importance of completing ongoing projects before initiating new ones. She also announced efforts to transition to accrual accounting, a method considered more transparent, especially in accounting for pending bills.
Gathungu mentioned that teams at regional offices have been instructed to assess the readiness of public sector entities for the transition to accrual accounting during the auditing of the 2024/25 financial year. Accrual accounting allows for the recording of revenue before the actual payment for goods or services sold.