My office can’t fulfill its mandate due to underfunding – GATHUNGU says

 

Thursday, March 9, 2023 – Auditor General, Nancy Gathungu, has said his office is unable to fulfill its mandate promptly due to underfunding.

In a report to the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee, Gathungu said her office has continuously been underfunded over the years despite the office’s enhanced mandate and increased number of public sector entities.

She said the office has a shortfall of Sh1.79 billion in the current financial year (2022-2023).

Gathungu said in the 2023 Budget Policy Statement, the office has been allocated a budget of Sh7.753 billion (comprising of a recurrent budget of Sh7.283 billion and a Development Budget of Sh469.88 million.

She said her office had made a budget request of Sh11.39 billion (comprising of a recurrent requirement of Sh10.34 billion and a development requirement of Sh1.05 billion).

“This leaves the office with a total shortfall of Sh3.64 billion-recurrent-Sh3.06 billion and development-Sh580 million,” she said.

“We are requesting Sh2.5 billion out of the shortfall of Sh3.63 billion to cater for additional audit scope and other critical areas of our operations.”

Gathungu reiterated that the shortfall has negatively affected their work and cannot wholly confirm lawfulness or effectiveness in the use of public funds for the remaining public sector entities for the financial year 2021/2022 per constitutional requirements.