Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has launched a scathing attack on the Controller of Budget (CoB) and her office, accusing her officers of rent-seeking and hampering the operations of county governments.
Speaking at a consultative meeting with governors in Naivasha Thursday, during the quarterly consultative session with the Council of Governors’ Health Committee, Mbadi criticised the requirement for county finance officials to travel from distant counties, such as Turkana, to get funds cleared—something he argued could easily be handled remotely.
Responding to governors’ concerns about delayed disbursement of funds and the ongoing debate on increasing county allocations, Mbadi accused the CoB of creating unnecessary hurdles in the disbursement process.
“I wish the Controller of Budget was here. I have a problem with her office, and I don’t mince my words. Once we transfer money to counties, that money should reach the counties without bottlenecks. There’s no reason your officers are always in Nairobi to clear funds with the CoB’s office… that is rent-seeking, and it must stop,” he said.
Mbadi called for a streamlined system free of artificial human interference to ensure swift disbursement of funds.
“I’ve always wanted a forum where I could tell her publicly that she must rein in her officers. This doesn’t mean I’m attacking her; I’m criticising her, just as she is free to criticise me,” he added.
The CS also addressed the contentious issue of county allocations, insisting that the national government could only afford Sh380 billion, rather than the Sh400 billion demanded by counties.
“We cannot afford anything more than Sh380 billion,” Mbadi said. Ironically, before his Cabinet appointment, he had been a strong advocate for higher county allocations.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang insisted they would not accept anything less than Sh400 billion while Baringo Governor Moses Cheboi added: “If there is no money, I’d rather hand the county back to the national government.”
Mbadi also criticised the growing number of advisors at both national and county levels, arguing that many were unnecessary and drawing exorbitant salaries that could be better used elsewhere.
