Mysterious death threats on Auditor General's senior staff

Security concerns have emerged over death threats targeting senior officials at the Kenya National Audit Office (KENAO), headed by Auditor-General Dr Edward Ouko.

Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman and Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, said his committee had last week met Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinett over the same.

Eng Gumbo noted that the threats were reported at both Buruburu and the Central Police stations and the IG said some arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.

Accountability-Kenya (AK), of which KENAO is a member, had also on Friday evening released a press statement, signed by its chairman, Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba and Secretary Kipyego Kitur to protest over the same.

“We condemn with the strongest terms possible the cowardly threats, theatrics, and posturing by malevolent forces of impunity and corruption,” read the AK statement.

The statement further noted, “AK believes and is gravely concerned that there is a definite plot to compromise and destroy the entire framework of oversight and accountability in Kenya.”

But while AK in its statement noted that even Ouko was threatened, Gumbo maintained the threats were only targeted at two officials.

Amani National Congress Secretary-General Godfrey Osotsi said it is upon the Government to ensure the safety of KENAO employees.

This comes amid rejection of a clause granting the Auditor-General financial autonomy.

President Uhuru Kenyatta had said the budget of the Auditor-General has to first be submitted to the National Treasury for review, to ensure the Government can afford whatever projects the auditor wants to carry out.

In a 12-page memo to the National Assembly recently, President Kenyatta said there was no way the Auditor-General can be allowed to directly submit the budget request to the National Assembly.

“All estimates of the revenue and expenditure for the national government should be reviewed by the Cabinet Secretary responsible for Finance to ensure that the national government budget submitted to Parliament is balanced,” the President said in his memo on the Public Audit Bill, 2015.

Ouko has been demanding the removal of ‘draconian’ clauses from the Bill, which he argued threatened the independence of his office. There have been arguments that the Bill seeks to have the Treasury determine the Auditor-General’s budget, yet he audits the National Treasury.

AK said interfering with the work of the Auditor-General was a direct assault on the Constitution.

“This is likely to slow down the commendable momentum that had also seen PAC clear a five-year backlog of audited accounts, thus increasing revenue share for county governments.

Any delays in audited accounts will not only give reprieve to those who thrive on misusing hard earned taxes, but will also depress the revenue share for county governments,” AK wrote.