Controller Of Budget Orders Increased Spending Audits Ahead of 2027 Polls

Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o has ordered enhanced monitoring of public spending nationwide following growing concerns over the misuse of state resources in the run-up to the 2027 General Election.

Nyakang’o warned that political campaigns and partisan activities are increasingly driving the unauthorized diversion of public property—including official government vehicles, state-funded fuel, and public personnel—toward partisan events. She cautioned that this heightened diversion threatens to disrupt critical service delivery and derail key development projects, particularly within county governments.

Oversight Challenges and Increased Field Audits

Highlighting the systemic challenges in tracking political expenditure, the Controller of Budget noted that some accounting officers submit formal fund requisitions under legitimate development pretexts, only to reallocate those funds toward political engagements. Because financial reports are evaluated retroactively at the end of each quarter, real-time tracking remains a persistent structural hurdle.

To counter these loopholes, Nyakang’o announced that her teams are deploying field monitoring and evaluation units across the country to verify whether disbursed funds align with approved budget items on the ground. The move echoes warnings issued in March by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which cautioned political aspirants against leveraging state offices and public coffers for campaign activities.

Visibility Gaps in Off-Budget Funds

Beyond campaign-related expenditure, Nyakang’o raised broader concerns regarding financial oversight gaps, pointing out that her office maintains limited visibility over significant statutory funds operating outside the Consolidated Fund. She cited major off-budget entities—including the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the Primary Health Care Fund (PHCF), the National Infrastructure Fund, and the Sovereign Wealth Fund—as requiring stronger oversight mechanisms to ensure full accountability to taxpayers.