Ouko (pictured) is set to exit in August at the end of his eight-year term that commenced on August 27, 2011 following his appointment by then President Mwai Kibaki/FILE – OAG
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 23 – With less than a month left for Auditor General Edward Ouko to vacate office, Senators now want the process of seeking his replacement expedited to avoid a crisis.
Ouko is set to exit in August at the end of his eight-year term that commenced on August 27, 2011 following his appointment by then President Mwai Kibaki.
County Public Accounts and Investments Committee (CPAIC), Chairman Moses Kajwang stated that the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) is crucial, and it will not to be wise to have someone assume the office in an acting capacity.
“We have less than one month to have our replacement for the Auditor General and Controller of Budget. The process is described in the Constitution, but I do not think it is a process that can be done overnight. If we do not replace these constitutional office holders on time, we might end up with crisis. Even the fight against corruption might suffer,” said Kajwang on Monday.
“This conversation needs to be initiated early enough to ensure that the day Edward Ouko is leaving office there is someone who will be ready to occupy that office substantively.”
Ouko’s term will be ending at around the same time with that of the Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo.
Ouko is set to appear before the committee next week on Monday to shed more light on preparations for his exit.
CPAIC members want the constitutional procedure to be followed and a substantive Auditor general appointed before his time in office is over.
“The instruments of power are not just transferable by virtue of someone acting without a clear legal provision and so from where I sit, this process should be hastened,” said Meru Senator Mithika Linturi.
About The Author
