National Assembly Minority Leader Wandayi demand KRA, CBK system audit, allege pilferage of public coffers
The opposition, Azimio One Kenya Coalition through the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi has called for an immediate audit of the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) revenue collection and management systems to root out alleged pilferage of public funds.
Wandayi claimed the undeterred vice has precipitated the current economic crisis the country is experiencing that has occasioned delays in paying salaries to civil servants and government officers.
Further, the county governments have decried that they are yet to receive the mandatory allocations since January this year.
Yesterday, Wandayi said the country is facing a bleak future if the situation is not immediately addressed.
Wandayi claimed the government has been unable to meet its basic obligations in a situation which has been worsening since December 2022.
“Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party is deeply concerned at the worsening economic situation in the country that has seen the government unable to meet one of its most basic of obligations, which is paying its workers. We fear that this country is collapsing while we sit pretty hoping for miracles.” Wandayi said.
He claimed that Members of Parliament (MPs) were yet to be paid their March salaries and that only members of the security services had received their paid. This claim was however refuted by Senate Majority Whip Boni Khalwale.
Wandayi accused the president William Ruto’s led administration of hiding from Kenyans the sad state of affairs that the country is in.
“Criminals at KRA are collecting and pocketing taxes as the incompetents at the National Treasury also skim off the revenue while failing to come up with sound policies for cash flow.” He asserted.
He noted that county governments were also struggling to pay salaries, a situation he said is posing a huge challenge to service delivery. He suggested a parliamentary inquiry to interrogate the matter.
“We need to take a close look at the operations of individuals and systems at the National Treasury, the Central Bank of Kenya and the Kenya Revenue Authority and compel testimony and the production of documents with a view to establishing what has gone wrong.” Wandayi said.
He blamed corruption, tribalism, nepotism, incompetence and theft at critical revenue collection points and what he described as wrong spending priorities.
“We need to take a close and thorough look at the goings-on at our revenue collection points and revenue sources like the Kenya Airports Authority, the courts, customs, National Social Security Fund (NSSF), aids and grants and revenue administration in addition to probing government spending,” he added.
He urged the government should not behind COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and the general economic meltdown around the globe and address the challenges facing Kenyans.
