This archive report was first published on 12 December 2019.
Published on December 12, 2019
Kisumu County Assembly Speaker Onyango Oloo and his team have been accused of misusing public funds, with the Auditor General's report revealing questionable payments to assembly staff and MCAs.
According to the report, Sh10.4 million was paid in honorarium allowances to assembly staff and MCAs for the budget-making process, with Oloo pocketing the highest amount of Sh1.2 million.
The report also revealed that the payments contravened the law, with auditors noting that the payments were made without proper verification.
Additionally, the report found that the county assembly leadership authorized payments to some MCAs for fictitious sittings, which cost the taxpayer Sh11.1 million.
“Audit verification of sampled vouchers reveals a systematic payment of “honorarium” allowances during the preparation of the budget for 2018/2019. It could not be ascertained under which SRC circular the payment was made,” the report read in part.
The Auditor General's report also highlighted other questionable financial transactions, including payments to staff for entertainment allowances and meal allowances.
Former Speaker Oloo defended the payments, stating that they were done in accordance with the law.
However, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched an investigation into the matter, with detectives probing a Sh14,000 allowance paid to all MCAs on April 25, this year.
Other assembly staff also pocketed the same amount on December 18, 2018.
