Senator Okiya Omtatah has raised concern over the unexplained withdrawal of Ksh19.6 billion from Kenya’s Consolidated Fund.

He spoke during a morning interview on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Omtatah urged Kenyans to examine one public document to see how public funds are being abused.

“If you want to see the kind of abuse that happens with our money, you just need to look at one document which comes from the Treasury every month,” he said. “At 21 days after the end of every month, the Treasury is supposed to publish a document called a Statement of Actual Revenue and Net Expenditure Issues.”

He added that the document appears on the Treasury website every month and gives a clear picture of the country’s financial health.

“Some people there are doing a very good job of publishing it,” Omtatah noted. “But I don’t think many Kenyans have knowledge of it or even take time to look at it.”

The senator said he checks the statement every month. He currently pursues Ksh19.6 billion that left the Consolidated Fund in January 2025. Officials recorded this amount under the vote for “State Officers’ Salaries, Allowances, and Miscellaneous.”

He described the difference as an overpayment that amounted to outright theft.

“It was stolen using the account for paying what you call consolidated fund services for salaries, allowances, and miscellaneous,” he explained.

Calls for independent treasury

He stressed that no money should leave the Consolidated Fund without proper authorisation. The Controller of Budget must approve any withdrawal, even in claimed emergencies under Article 223 of the Constitution. Omtatah said the Controller has never exercised real control in practice.

He referred to Article 225(6) of the Constitution, which deals with the control of public money. Omtatah called for an independent professional treasury that holds funds separately from the executive. Parliament would approve allocations, and the Controller of Budget would give final approval before any release to projects.

During the same interview, Omtatah mentioned another case. When he examined the Treasury statement and ministry budgets, he spotted what he called a red flag. He identified a separate hidden heist of Ksh15 billion linked to the Ministry of Energy.