Ifmis upgrade a priority

The plan to link the Treasury’s procurement and payments system to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is central to enhancing transparency and nabbing tax cheats.

According to the taxman, evasion of tax by county and State suppliers is mainly done through inflated fake invoices and non-remittance of taxes.

The Auditor General says rogue officials and traders collude in the award of tenders and end up stealing billions of shillings. The Auditor has called persistently for the overhaul of the Integrated Financial Management (Ifmis) to fix any gaps.

Transparency in reporting of public tenders remains problematic amid resistance from some State agencies and departments to disclose information.

A tamper-proof system is therefore critical since any interference with Ifmis affects not only planning and distribution of resources but also tracking the usage of public funds.

Corruption must be stopped before it shuts down the economy.

Now, the Treasury has allocated Sh284 million for digitising Ifmis in the Budget.

We ask Parliament to see the wisdom in upgrade of this crucial system and approve the allocation.