Busia Senator Andrew Omtatah Okoiti is pushing for the Senate to have direct access to county financial transaction data available on the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).
Citing the need for real-time visibility to properly oversee how counties spend public funds, the senator tabled a motion during the 13th Parliament’s 5th Session.
Senate documents show the motion was originally lodged toward the end of the 4th session, where it lapsed before being resubmitted for approval.
At the heart of the motion is a request that the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury forward IFMIS transaction reports for every county government to the Clerk of the Senate every month so they can be shared with the respective county’s senator.
“Effective oversight cannot rely on delayed reports long after public funds have been spent. Transparency begins with timely access to information,” Senator Omtatah noted in a post.
The motion bases this request on Article 96 of the Constitution, which allows the Senate to represent county interests, decide how national revenue is shared among counties, and oversee that revenue after it is allocated.
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It also draws on a Supreme Court ruling from a case brought by the Council of Governors and six others against the Senate, which affirmed that the Senate’s oversight powers extend to both nationally allocated and locally generated county revenue.
Omtatah notes that the current access to financial records depreciates Kenyan senators’ ability to oversee county expenditure.
In addition, reports from the auditor-general and the controller of the budget often arrive late, creating a backlog that prevents the Senate from reviewing county finances promptly.
“If senators are to protect county resources and hold governments accountable, we must see public expenditure as it happens, not after the damage is done,” Omtatah adds.
In short, the motion pushes for monthly IFMIS reports to resolve this issue. By giving senators the right financial data at the right time, they have a chance to better monitor county spending of taxpayers’ money.
