Migori County Governor, Ochillo Ayacko, has responded to a letter written to the Controller of Budget, about the misappropriation of funds in Migori County.
While addressing the press at the County official residence, Ochilo outlined that budget management was in line with the Public Finance Management Act and it is the Controller of the Budget, who compiles the financial reports.
This comes amidst the claims expressed through a January letter by Migori Senator, Eddy Oketch, to the Controller of Budget, raising concerns about the transparency and accountability of Migori County’s budget management.
The letter by Senator Eddy Oketch had raised concerns about the amount attributed to domestic travel and subsistence allowance, noting it as high and alarming.
The Report had sparked questions about fiscal responsibility, prompting the governor’s direct response.
Ochilo, however, clarified his stance on the matter, giving an assurance to the public that the letter was aimed at seeking clarification and ensuring that the financial resources are allocated efficiently for the benefit of the County.
Ochilo affirmed that the high figures in question attributed to Sh 184, 611, 014 million to Migori County, were a result of clustering all the expenditure items and lumping them together and attributing them to domestic travel and subsistence allowance.
He disclosed that the Report of the Controller of the Budget had not made any allegation that there was a violation of law in the implementation of the county budget or the misappropriation of the budget funds.
He assured Migori residents that the budget was not implemented or executed unlawfully and his Administration has not lost a single cent that belongs to the public.
Ochilo explained that the office of the Controller of Budget has the responsibility to ensure when County make their budgets, they are in line with the Public Finance Management Act and the associated regulations.
He further emphasised that they have broken the budget down to avoid incurring some of the errors that were made by lumping the figures that made the public jump to conclusions that his Administration was misusing the funds allocated to citizens.
Ochillo, however, called upon the need for transparency and accountability in budget management, to ensure that the public funds are not misappropriated or misused.
By Belinda Oyanda and Geoffrey Makokha
