Edward Ouko picked to African audit organisation board

Kenya’s Auditor-General Edward Ouko has been picked to join the board of African supreme audit institutions body after unanimous election in an ongoing general assembly meeting in Egypt.

Mr Ouko was elected the vice president of the Office of African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI) General Assembly and will also double as the president of the Technical Committee on Knowledge Sharing and Management.

During the 13th General Assembly of the organisation, the host and President of the Accountability State Authority of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Counsellor Hesham Genena was elected as president of AFROSAI for a three-year term.

Cameroon’s Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of the Supreme State Audit, Henri Eyebe Ayissi was also confirmed as the secretary-general.

The assembly has been sitting since October 24 and concludes its meeting Thursday (October 30).

Mr Ouko will head one of the two critical Technical Committees of the AFROSAI on Knowledge Sharing and Management for a period of six years.

The African Union Commission was incorporated into AFROSAI as an associate member with an observer status.

The AFROSAI was founded in 1976 following a resolution by International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAIs) to call for fruitful and vital cooperation for exchange of ideas and documentation in each of the five continents.

The AFROSAI General Assembly was endorsed as the Supreme Organ of the Organisation which brings together Auditor-Generals from 53 African countries and is held after every three years.

The General Assembly has powers to give strategic direction to the organisation governing the functioning of organs of African states and also formulate principles that inspire greater public financial control in the continent.

The General Assembly is sanctioned by a Board of Governors. The Board, composed of the president, vice president, secretary-general and nine other members, performs executive roles of AFROSAI.

Topical themes that were covered during this year’s General Assembly that also cut across the continent were audit of regulatory authorities, local authorities and public-private partnerships.

Over 130 regional, international delegates attended the General Assembly with various multilateral and bilateral partners attending as observers.