This archive report was first published on 28 August 2019.
On April 24, 2019, Auditor General Edward Ouko appeared before the Senate County Public and Investment Committee at County Hall, Nairobi, where he highlighted the challenges facing his office.
Outgoing Auditor General Edward Ouko has left office after eight years, warning that loopholes in the law guiding public audit have made the office toothless. He called for a comprehensive review of the Public Audit Act, which he complained does not make audit reports actionable.
Ouko spoke in his final media engagement following the end of his term on Monday, protesting the lacuna in the law, which he said fails to guide transition. This has led to him leaving office without a substantive successor or any process to recruit the next Auditor General being put in place.
“I am leaving office, but I do not know who takes over...I do not know who will sign the reports that are due because I am not allowed to do it. This can demoralise auditors who are undertaking their duties. As we talk, there are some critical reports that are pending and unfortunately are likely to get lost,” he said.
He warned that the lack of a substantive holder of the position could hold back crucial reports that are in the final stages of the audit process and which require to be tabled in Parliament. However, these reports cannot be forwarded as the law requires that they must be signed by the Auditor General.
Ouko proposed that the law be amended to ensure that the process of appointing a successor is in place before the term of the incumbent lapses. He also suggested the formation of an oversight board in Parliament to review and approve the budget of the Auditor’s office and appoint the Auditor General.
