The government owes Uasin Gishu county about Sh3 billion in unpaid rates, governor Jackson Mandago has said. Kenya Railways owes the county Sh2.5 billion while other government agencies owe more than Sh400 million.
He spoke to the Senate Public Accounts Committee at Uasin Gishu county assembly on Wednesday. The county has pending bills of more than Sh319 million. Mandago said his government would have paid the bills were it not for delayed and haphazard disbursement of funds from the Treasury. He said the county had cleared most of its debts, including those inherited from the old Uasin Gishu County Council, the Eldoret Municipal Council and the Burnt Forest Urban Council. A comprehensive record of county property is available at the county offices, he said.
The governor told the Senate the Ifmis system used by counties to manage finances is cumbersome and should be reviewed. The system adds no value to financial management, he said.
Mandago said his county and others in the region have few internal auditors. He asked the Auditor General to help counties build capacity.
