Omtatah accuses Busia county of Ksh5.2B scandal
By Kiprono Keileb, July 28, 2025A new wave of political heat is sweeping across Busia County following a fiery statement issued by Senator Okiya Omtatah, who is demanding accountability over what he describes as glaring financial discrepancies in the county’s 2022/2023 expenditure.
In a strongly worded message posted on his official X account on Monday, July 28, Omtatah stated that the County Government of Busia, under the leadership of Governor Paul Nyongesa Otuoma, failed to account for a staggering Ksh5.2 billion.
The outspoken senator brushed off efforts by county officials to discredit his findings, urging them to focus on the facts outlined in the detailed audit report rather than launching personal attacks against him
“The County Government of Busia should not attack me, the messenger; let them confront the message with a detailed and coherent response,” Omtatah said.
The lawmaker urged the county executive to respect legal procedures by taking the matter to court and presenting evidence to counter the damning findings in the audit report.
He maintained that if the county has nothing to hide, it should have no problem releasing all relevant source documents for public scrutiny.
“Hiding behind the Auditor-General won’t save them. My oversight mandate is not tied to simply accepting the Auditor-General’s work,” he noted, pointing fingers at what he termed as “outright incompetence and suspected collusion” within the Auditor-General’s office itself.
Omtatah further stated that he stands by every claim made regarding the fraudulent audit report and vowed not to be intimidated into silence.
He reaffirmed his position that public resources must be guarded with utmost vigilance and that the people of Busia deserve complete transparency in how their taxes are spent.
This comes at a time when questions surrounding the use of public funds continue to dominate national discourse.
The senator’s revelations have reignited calls for accountability, putting the county leadership under increased pressure to address the reported financial irregularities
Governor Paul Otuoma has yet to issue a formal response to the accusations.
The audit report in question, which is now at the centre of the controversy, details suspicious expenditures, unsupported payments, and irregular procurement processes.
Omtatah has called on the relevant investigative agencies to take a keen interest and act swiftly to protect the public interest.
With the political temperature rising in Busia, all eyes are now on the county administration and how it will respond to the senator’s call for full disclosure and legal redress.