Babu wants all money requested by Auditor-General approved to ensure transparency
By Aloys Michael, May 28, 2025Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has urged the National Assembly Budget Committee to approve all funding requests made by the Office of the Auditor General, describing it as the only institution he fully trusts in Kenya’s governance ecosystem.
Speaking during a session of the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Babu threw his weight behind the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, calling for full financial support to bolster the institution’s ability to unearth and report on misuse of public funds.
AG’s key functions
The lawmaker said that the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) plays a critical constitutional role in scrutinizing how public funds are utilized.
“Every financial year there are cases of funds lost through misappropriation, theft, and corruption, which your office has stamped authority with reports that reveal discrepancies in government spending, ranging from irregular payments to incomplete or stalled projects,” he said.
“This office speaks the truth without fear or favor,” he said. “While other institutions may be compromised, manipulated, or politically influenced, the Auditor General has remained a rare beacon of accountability.”
Underfunding undermining oversight
Gathungu, who appeared before the Budget Committee, said that despite her office’s constitutional mandate, its work has often been hampered by insufficient funding, limited staffing, and systemic bottlenecks.
“The office cannot keep up with the expanding public sector and the complexity of state spending without substantial budgetary support,” she said.
MP Babu Owino emphasized that denying or slashing funding to such a critical watchdog is tantamount to enabling corruption.
“When we underfund this office, we are essentially saying we are okay with theft,” he said. “We can’t cry about corruption and at the same time cripple the one institution that exposes it.”
He said Parliament is the primary organ responsible for budget allocations and therefore has the power to empower or disempower these bodies through the national budget.
“Let’s not play games with this. If the Auditor General asks for funding, give them every shilling. It’s not a favor—it’s our duty,” he told the committee.
He added that the OAG has remained firm despite intimidations and harassment by the political class because of revealing money scandals, terming it an act of patriotism.
As the Budget Committee prepares its final recommendations for the 2025/26 fiscal year, the legislator urged the committee to prioritize oversight and accountability.
“If we are serious about fighting corruption, this is where we start. We urgently need to address issues of wastage and take actions against thieves that are destroying the lives of innocent Kenyans,” he asserted.