Auditor-General Edward Ouko wants amendments to the Constitution to create a Head of State separate from the head of government, who will work independent of each other to help protect his office from the wrath of an imperial presidency.
Mr Ouko says a Head of State will shield his office from being taken down by a powerful President since auditing the executive is equal to auditing the President as they are his appointees.
As he gave his reflections on an eight-year, tumultuous, non-renewable term in office which ended Tuesday, Mr Ouko also said that before the Treasury is allowed to read its annual budgets with fanfare in Parliament, his office should first give a report card on how the government utilised the resources of the previous year.
“Under the current system, the auditor is up against the President and his ministers. If the President is protective of his ministers, then the audit is watered down,” Mr Ouko said at a public lecture as he reviewed his performance as the first auditor-general in Kenya under the new Constitution.
He said by having the Head of State different from the head of government, his office will have a protector and this will help make it more independent.