By Aoma Keziah
In a candid and revealing session at his office on 5th April, Babu Owino, the Member of Parliament for Embakasi East, didn’t mince words when addressing the state of affairs in the Nairobi County Government. With a mix of concern and urgency, Owino painted a stark picture of what he described as the “worst state” of the county’s governance.
During the discussion, Owino pointed out several critical issues plaguing the county, ranging from financial mismanagement to service delivery challenges. He emphasized that the current situation not only hampers development initiatives but also directly affects the lives of Nairobi residents.
One of the key points raised by Owino was the need for accountability and transparency in the management of public funds. He cited instances of alleged corruption and called for thorough investigations to hold accountable those responsible for financial irregularities.
In his adverse opinion, he states that:
- The Auditor General says they can not confirm the accuracy and completeness of the financial statements provided by Sakaja for FY22/23
- The difference in payment reported by the FS and the legder, which ordinarily should be the same, is Kshs 5B(lost)
- Sakaja can not explain Kshs 9B paid in pending bills.
- Hence, pending bills balance indicated as 98B is hot air.
- Assets acquired by the county government are overstated by Kshs 320M(lost).
- Bank Balances show:
- KRB-RMLF indicates kshs 818M while it should be 965M (147m lost)
- Recurrent Account reports nill balance while it should have Kshs 365m(lost).
- Revenue Account shows closing balance at nill while it should have been Kshs 1.9B. Its opening also shows nill while it was Kshs 1.3B. Lost kshs 3.2b.
- Balances of Kshs 561m in 43 bank accounts not supported at all.
Auditors can not confirm the accuracy of cash balances of Kshs 1.44B.
- For assets acquired through NMS amounting to Kshs 620M (unsupported though), payments were made of Kshs 3.5b and a further Kshs 3.7b.
- Air was paid for at Kshs 60.8m, apparently for floodlights, but no supply was done, and no entry was made for the same.
- Sakaja said he paid salaries of Kshs 11.2b, but records of banks and IPPD show only Kshs 8.8B. Hence, 2.2b was paid to ghost workers(pocketed).
Pupported payments of Kshs 161m and 93m to temporary workers were not supported by any documents at all.
- Kshs 226m from the salary account was paid through 46 fictitious transactions not supported at all and not related to salaries.
Regarding service delivery, Owino expressed disappointment at the slow progress in essential sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure. He stressed the importance of efficient public services in improving the quality of life for Nairobi’s residents.
He also called for unity and collaboration among county leaders, urging them to set aside personal interests for the collective good of the people they serve and emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue and cooperation in finding lasting solutions to the challenges facing Nairobi County.
In conclusion Owino reiterated his commitment to working tirelessly towards addressing these issues and ensuring a brighter future for Nairobi County. His impassioned plea for change resonated with many, highlighting the pressing need for swift and decisive action to revitalize the county’s governance and services.
Mt Kenya Times