Mombasa County officials face tough questions over audit failures and sewage crisis
By Kenneth Mwenda, January 24, 2026The Mombasa County Executive, led by Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, came under heavy scrutiny as senators grilled officials over serious audit failures in health facilities and the county’s water company.
The Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, chaired by Senator Eddy Oketch, examined audit reports that revealed widespread financial mismanagement, weak oversight, and non-compliance with the law across several county institutions.
The committee agreed to consider written responses from Tudor, Port Reitz, Mrima and Likoni Sub-County Level 4 hospitals.
However, the absence of Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital from the audit reports sparked immediate anger among senators after it emerged that the hospital failed to submit its financial statements to the Office of the Auditor General within the required timelines.
Senator Godfrey Osotsi, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, criticised the hospital’s leadership, describing the failure as deliberate and repeated. He said Coast General Hospital had consistently ignored legal requirements and treated the Auditor General’s office with contempt. Osotsi said residents of Mombasa had a right to know how public funds were being used.
“This is not the first time, but a persistent pattern of defiance from Coast General Hospital,” Senator Godfrey Osotsi stated. “Year after year, this institution treats the Office of the Auditor General with contempt. The people of Mombasa deserve to know how their money is being spent.”
Senator Oketch reminded county officials that the Public Finance Management Act clearly outlines penalties for such offences. He said any accounting officer who fails to submit financial statements commits a crime and faces imprisonment, a fine, or both. He questioned why no one had been prosecuted despite the repeated violations.
Senators reject county response
Governor Nassir told the committee that the county had suspended two officers and started disciplinary proceedings. However, Senator Agnes Kavindu rejected the response, saying internal action was not enough. She stressed that the law requires criminal accountability, not administrative measures.
The most heated exchange came during discussions on the Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Company. Audit findings showed the company was technically insolvent, with negative working capital of Ksh1.99 billion and accumulated losses of Ksh2.26 billion.
The audit also revealed that non-revenue water stood at 62 per cent, far above the 25 per cent limit set by the Water Services Regulatory Board. This translated to potential lost revenue of about Ksh1.2 billion.
Senators expressed alarm after learning that the county was discharging raw sewage directly into the Indian Ocean because several treatment plants were not working. Senator Peris Tobiko sharply criticised the practice, warning that it posed a serious public health and environmental risk.
She said the county was endangering children, fishermen and tourists by allowing untreated waste to flow into the ocean.
Governor Nassir said the county had ongoing World Bank-funded rehabilitation projects, with completion expected in October 2026. However, senators remained unconvinced. Senator Oketch noted that this meant raw sewage would continue flowing into the ocean for at least another nine months.
At the end of the session, the committee resolved to visit Mombasa County in April to inspect progress on the ground. Senators also directed Coast General Hospital to submit all required financial documents to the Auditor General in the next audit cycle without fail.