CoB Nyakang'o: Budget gaps huge hindrance to my office

Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o has decried budget gaps telling MPs that she has been unable to audit several multi-million government projects.

The budget deficit, she noted, is affecting the constitutional mandate of her office.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) the Budget boss also cited the discriminatory salary structure prescribed to her office as one of the challenges weighing down her office.

Nyakang’o also cited incessant delays in the implementation of the CoB recommendations by accounting officers as other hurdles her office has to contend with in the line of duty.

“If you look at our Salary structure, we have been discriminated against compared to other similar offices in the country, in consultation with the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) the office has developed a salary structure to attract and retain qualified staff,” Nyakang’o told MPs.

“Goodwill and budgetary support are needed for the efficient implementation.”

Nyakang’o was appearing before the Committee chaired by Githunguri MP which has been conducting inquiry into the challenges faced by independent commissions in discharging their constitutional mandates.

The Budget boss also told the house team of existing legislative gaps in appointing her successor.

According to Nyakang’o, the current law does not provide for the procedure of declaring a vacancy after the incumbent serves the eight-year term.

Citing Section (4) of the COB Act, Nyakang’o said no provision recognizes a vacancy in the position of the Controller of Budget.

“Section 9 (4) of the Act should be amended to allow the COB to report on all facets of the budget implementation as envisaged in the constitution. Under the current existing provisions, the COB is barred from reporting on economic developments and outlook including revenue; grants loan forecasts, and receipts,” Nyakang’o told the legislators.

The MPs were further told that a delay in the development of the COB regulations after the annulment by the Senate was a huge hindrance to the office.

“The reasons advanced by the Senate for the annulment were that the regulations had not fully captured the comments of the National Treasury received after publication of the regulations; the penalties proposed in the regulations were not deterrent enough; the challenges currently being expressed, such as pending Bills were not addressed; and investigative powers contained in part IV of the draft regulations were likely to overlap with investigative powers of other government agencies such as EACC,” Nyakang’o submitted.

“The CoB has since developed the draft regulations incorporating the Senate’s views. However, due to budgetary constraints, the CoB has been unable to undertake public participation.”