Nairobi News

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City Hall’s departments on the spot over budget


Nairobi county government’s legal and finance departments are on the spot for surpassing the budget and making payments outside the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).

Auditor- General Edward Ouko flagged Sh480 million in legal fees that the county paid out against a budget of Sh100 million in the year ended June 2016.

Legal Department director Violet Oyangi was at pains to justify why the payment was never regularised within three months as is the norm and why it never passed through the County Assembly for approval.

“The department spent more than its approved legal fees budget by 480 per cent and on top Sh113 million was not adequately captured, documents not made available for review and some cannot be confirmed,” Mr Ouko said in his report.

The Nairobi County Assembly Public Accounts Committee chaired by Mabatini Ward MCA Wilfred Oluoch Odalo sought to know why the payment was not captured in the supplementary budget for the financial year.

Mr Ouko demanded an explanation from the Finance Department on why payments were made outside the IFMIS against the law.

Acting chief finance officer Ekaya Alumasi defended the department’s officers, saying they were compelled to pay following arrest warrants and court orders from the concerned parties.