Intimidation and harassment: Karua on arrest of Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o

According to an inquiry file sent by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Nyakang'o and her co-accused face a slew of charges, including operating a sacco without a licence, forgery, and conspiracy to defraud.

Jacinta Nyamosi, deputy director of public prosecutions, stated that following a careful examination, there was enough evidence to charge the suspects.

Tuesday saw a rise in online squabbling, and Karua voiced her opinion, arguing that Nyakang'o is the target of attacks solely because she recently revealed financial irregularities in the government.

"Timing suggestive of harassment and intimidation, especially coming after her revealing testimony at Bomas. Those siphoning government money at Treasury are scot-free but the whistleblower is under arrest," Karua wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

While appearing before the National Dialogue Committee (NADC0) in October at the Bomas of Kenya, the Controller of Budget faulted the Treasury for the economic downfall in the country.

Nyakang'o, who appeared before the Kimani Ichungwah-Kalonzo Musyoka-led panel, accused the exchequer of tripling salaries for state officers and paying them outside their formal payrolls.

"Exaggerations are in the Treasury and let me give one example. When I was doing the budget for consolidated fund services where my salary is paid from, I found that my salary is budgeted at 3 times what I'm paid and it was like that for all the state officers. I asked them why it is showing that way and I have not received the answer to date," she told the committee.

This also follows a report from the Controller of Budget in September, which revealed statistics showing that a whopping 83% of all revenues collected by the government have been spent on debt repayment.

The report also stated that the country's limited financial crisis is being made worse by the government officials' and their delegations' domestic and international travel budgets.

According to the report, state officials spent Ksh. 20 billion on both domestic and international travel. The National Assembly was the biggest spender, spending Ksh. 4.8 billion on travel within the country and an additional Ksh. 1.5 billion abroad.

The hospitality sector also accounted for Ksh. 8.6 billion, with the Office of the President leading the way with 2.34 percent and the polling organisation IEBC coming in second with Ksh. 2.1 billion.

Subsequently, in the Controller of Budget's review of the implementation of county budgets for the year 2022/2023, counties were seen to continue to surpass the set limit of expenditure on wages and benefits for their personnel.

The report revealed that in the year under review, counties spent 41.5% of the realised revenues of Ksh. 466.01 billion, a figure above the recommended 35% of total revenues.

The report also flagged what it termed as the flouting of regulations on foreign travel by the counties. According to regulations, a county delegation travelling outside the country should not have more than seven people including staff.

A good number of counties have disregarded this and sent out delegations of upto 50 people per trip, in most cases those travelling in the large delegations coming from the county assemblies.

Another red flag highlighted by the office of the Controller of Budget is the spending on sitting allowances paid to MCAs.

A total of Ksh.1.34 billion was paid to MCAs in 2022/2023 financial year, against an approved budget of Ksh.1.68 billion.

Meanwhile, Nyakang'o has been released on a Ksh.2 million bond, with the option of a similar surety or Ksh.500,000 in cash after pleading not guilty to the charges before a Mombasa Court.