‘Broke’ Auditor General Pleads for More Funding

The Auditor General of the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of Kenya, Nancy Gathungu has raised concern that her office scored poorly in international ratings due to inadequate funding.

The Office of the Auditor General is funded through annual allocations proposed by the National Treasury and approved by the National Assembly. She put forward that a system that will enhance its position should be implemented.

Nancy suggested two funding models. The first is based on a percentage of the total national budget where the funds due to the office would rise proportionally to the expansion of the budget.

Alternatively, she proposed the creation of a special kitty for the office. The fund would be protected from arbitrary adjustments by both Parliament and National Treasury, both of which are subject to audit requirements

“If we were adequately funded, we would be able to do in-year audits, raise issues and give recommendations so that reports published before the end of each financial year will be properly amended and the necessary measures taken,” she said.

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With a broad constitutional and legal mandate, the Supreme Audit Institution emphasized the need for additional financing to enhance service delivery and guarantee autonomy.

“This is one area where we have scored poorly in international rating. The National Treasury is the one that decides our allocation but it is one of our key clients,” she said in a recent interview.

She asserted that if the office was not adequately funded, it would erode all other forms of independence gained through constitutional and legal means.

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