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Mombasa County Assembly given 30-day deadline by Senate to address audit queries

Members of the Mombasa County Assembly leadership when they appeared before the Senate Public Accounts Committee. (Photo: Mombasa County Assembly)

By Farhiya Hussein | 09 Mar 2024

The Auditor General highlighted pending invoices and discrepancies in the reconciliation of accounts for monies allocated to ward offices during the fiscal year 2020/2021.

The County Assembly of Mombasa was this week put to task over its strengthening of financial management practices and ensuring the effective utilisation of public funds.

The assembly was facing scrutiny as its management, led by Speaker Aharub Khatri, appeared before the Senate Public Accounts Committee on Friday to address unresolved financial issues.

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The session, chaired by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, convened to review the Auditor General's reports on the Assembly's Financial Statements for the fiscal years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022.

The Auditor General highlighted two outstanding concerns, the pending invoices and discrepancies in the reconciliation of accounts for monies allocated to ward offices during the fiscal year 2020/2021.

Addressing the issues, County Assembly Clerk, Salim Juma, clarified that the pending invoices were accrued during a period when the executive managed financial transactions, including bill payments on behalf of the Assembly.

Mombasa Speaker Aharub Khatri when he appeared before the Senate Public Accounts Committee. (Photo: Mombasa County Assembly)

The senate committee instructed Juma to rectify the identified issues within 30 days and submit relevant documentation for review.

Juma acknowledged the directive and pledged to comply with the committee's instructions.

The forthcoming 30-day period will be crucial in demonstrating the Assembly's resolve to address the highlighted discrepancies and uphold the highest standards of fiscal responsibility.

The chair commended the Assembly for receiving an unqualified opinion for the fiscal year 2021/2022, Senator Sifuna acknowledged the prudent utilisation of public funds.

Speaker Aharub expressed gratitude for the recognition and affirmed their commitment to upholding financial integrity through established protocols.