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Kenya

Governors complain over IFMIS breakdown

Meru Governor and Council Chairman Peter Munya said the disruption has affected payments for emergency service delivery, development and workers/MOSES MUOKI

NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 12 – The Council of Governors is accusing the National Government of sabotaging county operations after the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) collapsed last week on Monday causing disruption across the 47 counties.

Meru Governor and Council Chairman Peter Munya said the disruption has affected payments for emergency service delivery, development and workers.

“Something sinister could be going on, yet it is the county leaders who will be blamed.”

“It was envisaged that through IFMIS, County Governments will have enhanced efficiency in planning, budgeting, procurement, expenditure management and reporting ensuring prudent disbursement and utilization of resource. But the persisting difficulties faced in the use of IFMIS have proved time and again that the system is unreliable and in this regard, the National Treasury must with utmost urgency address emerging challenges to cushion County Governments from public onslaught,” Governor Munya explained.

The county chiefs have on many occasions blamed the e-procurement system for mishaps, saying they do not have personnel to operate it.

“We are of the view that this is a deliberate attempt to slow down County Governments’ expenditure as the General Election draw nearer. Delivery of services to Kenyans cannot and should not be pegged on elections or any event for that matter,” the CoG chairman stated.

IFMIS is a computer system that processes procurement and payments for goods and services bought by national and county government agencies.

Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana noted that this is the second time the system has failed, with the first being in December when it collapsed for two days, halting all operations in the counties, including payment of staff salaries.

“The disruption of the services on IFMIS has caused anxiety as counties are unable to promptly pay pending bills to contractors and suppliers thereby giving an impression that counties are unable to settle their bills and development projects have stagnated,” Governor Kibwana told a news conference they addressed at the Council of Governors office.

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