EACC issues an ultimatum to governors to establish audit systems.

Sila

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Communication Deputy Director Erick Ngumbi. [Silas Otieno,Standard]

Corruption watchdog has issued a 60-day ultimatum to county governors to submit implementation plan of sealing corruption loopholes.

The directive includes developing audit policies and procedure manuals as the key systems to help in tracking illegalities and irregularities.

County assembly speakers have also been listed in the circular sent to the devolved governments.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission says this directive is in line with the gaps the commission has identified as blockades to fight against corruption.

"If county governments have not established or have not ensured that the internal audit units are functional, then it means that there are no check and balances," said EACC Communication Deputy Director Erick Ngumbi.

Mr. Ngumbi spoke during a press briefing on Saturday at Integrity Centre in Nairobi.

He faulted the county bosses for adamancy in establishing internal audit committees to ensure efficiency in maintaining checks and balances within the county financial systems.

Public Finance Act 2012 provides that a governing body, under which devolved governments are categorised, must have an audit committee for the entity.

"After EACC analysed the reports from risk assessments targeting particular aspects, we found that they are not operating as envisaged under the law," he said.

He also noted that the anti-graft body is irked with the manner which county governments' assets are managed, arguing that asset records in most counties are current.

According to Ngumbi, county officials are hellbent in maintaining status quo that he said the officers maneuver through backdating signatures in collusion with traders.

"Sometimes these loopholes are deliberately created or left unaddressed to allow people to loot," stated Ngumbi.

He underscored the collaboration between EACC and institutions, a move that he said is seeking to strengthen systems from within ton seal loopholes.

On August 31, the graft agency partnered with National Hospital Insurance Fund to initiate audit systems to seal financial faults and unethical practices within the institution.

EACC has made headlines in the recent past in fight against misuse of public resources by high profile government officials.

Last week, the commission disclosed that they are investigating 21 former and current governors, whom they accuse of embezzling public funds.

Already graft files of several county bosses have been forwarded to the Office of Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) by EACC with recommendations of arrests and charges.