EACCs Audit Reveals Corruption Loopholes In Taita County Government

Commissioner Dr. Dabar Abdi Maalim making his remarks during the presentation of the Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) reports of Taita- Taveta County at the County headquarters Wundanyi.

An Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission audit has identified numerous corruption loopholes in the Taita County government.

Reports of the agencys Corruption Risk Assessment reveal weaknesses and inefficiencies in the systems policies, procedures and practices of both the County Executive and Assembly in the financial, stores and human resource management. Similar weaknesses were found in the management of the information communications technology, project, lands and physical planning and records management.

Poor budgetary controls, unauthorised payments, non-adherence to approved budgets and unsupported payments in the financial management were among the glaring loopholes picked out by the audit, which was done from 5th December 2017 to 12th January for both county executive and assembly.

The auditors found, for instance, that payments of Kshs. 978,000 through a bank transfer in December 2017, and another a salary voucher of Kshs. 7,725,055 for the County Assembly — were made without approval by the accounting officer as the space for authorization was blank.

EACC Commissioner Dr. Dabar Maalim, who was accompanied, by the Deputy Director Preventive Services, EACC Lower Coast Regional head, Mr. George Ojowi, and other officers, officially handed over the reports to the County Assembly Clerk and Deputy Governor. He urged them to implement the reports recommendations. Among the recommendations are the development and operationization of governance instruments, developments of policy guidelines, and adherence to set government rules and regulations in the procurement of goods and services.

The reports further reveal that the countys revenue management system was poorly managed with conflicting figures of revenue inflows and the amounts fed into the revenue collection billing Pro system. For instance, a receipt of a single business permit indicated Kshs. 4,700 while the figure registered in the system was only Kshs. 1,000.

Ms. Emily Chege, Deputy Director Preventive Services, presenting the findings of the CRA reports at Wundanyi Taita – Taveta County

The supply chain management systems were also found to be lacking or non-operationalized and this led to loopholes such as single sourcing and the use of quotations in situations that called for open tendering which flouted the government procurement laws.

The county executive also lacked credit control measures where pending bills of Kshs. 21,917,491.60 for the financial year 2014/2015 and Kshs. 188, 065,715 for the financial year 2016/2017 for supply of goods and services were recorded.

The Commission pledged to help the County implement the recommendations to ensure exceptional service delivery to the public.

EACC Commissioner Dr. Dabar Maalim, hands over the CRA reports to Taita ¬ Taveta Deputy Governor, Ms Majala Mlagui.

Mr. George Ojowi, Lower Coast Regional Head, addressing participants at the venue.