Counties should comply with the Controller of the Budget provisions to avoid delay in release of the funds.
Migori County Senator, Ochilo Ayacko while speaking in Migori town on Sunday revealed that sections of counties including Migori have not complied with regulations of the National Controller of the budget.
Ayacko said the current requirements of IFMIS at the National Treasury requires counties to submit budgets of all payments including salaries, payment of contractors so that money is wired directly to the accounts, a requirement certain counties have not complied with.
He revealed that certain counties after receiving money from Central Bank of Kenya, direct the monies to commercial banks, thereafter, instructions are changed and something different is paid for, other than what is budgeted for.
Senator Ayacko noted that the Controller of the Budget now directs counties to comply with this order to avoid delayed release of the money to the counties.
He said employees at the Migori County Government have the constitutional right to be paid their salaries on time and delays due to non-compliance at the controller of the budget should not arise.
“I want to ask the County Government executive and the County Assembly to pay salaries of their employees. The public have paid their taxes and the senator has voted for the release of funds at the national treasury,” Ochilo said.
Ochilo however regretted that neither the County Government executive nor the County Assembly has not approached him to formally to speak on their behalf at the national assembly.
He distanced himself from those spreading unconfirmed reports that he had instructed the controller of the budget not to release money for the county. He said the controller of the budget office is independent of any external influence while carrying out its functions.
By Geoffrey Satia
