Economy

Ouko eyes collaboration with DPP, anti-corruption watchdog

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Auditor General Edward Ouko at the 16th Annual Conference for the Institute of Internal Auditors of Kenya in Mombasa on June 12, 2018. Photo | Kevin Odit | NMG

The Auditor General has called for more collaboration between the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and his office to tighten the noose against corruption.

Edward Ouko said the three State offices should now work in harmony in order to protect public resources from being stolen.

“We have seen the President (Uhuru Kenyatta) has set the goodwill and the tone which is a good thing. We need to heighten our game in dealing with the vice,” said Mr Ouko Tuesday.

Speaking during the annual conference for the Institute of Internal Auditors in Mombasa, Mr Ouko said independence of the government's internal auditors is critical for effective oversight in the war on graft.

“We are going to do more work in places where we feel Wanjiku’s resources are at most risk through corruption. But we also need our officers not to be disrupted by the management they are working for,” said Mr Ouko.

Noting that auditors are the first line of defence in the accountability cycle, he urged them to be brave and be ready to blow the whistle when necessary.

“If we allow the internal controls to fail in our organisations, we allow the wrong doers to plunder the hard earned money of the ordinary citizens. Currently in Kenya, we are experiencing a good number of organisations with questionable financial management,” he added.

Tech savvy thieves

The Auditor General, however, noted that fraudsters are a step ahead of them as they had become more technology savvy while most auditors are stuck with old, manual systems.

“The need to invest in ICT cannot be over-emphasised. Investment in ICT tools and skills is an imperative for modern internal audit function,” he said.

Mr Ouko also called for more focus on the 47 counties due to a spike in cases of misuse of taxpayer money at the devolved units.

“Part of our plan is to ensure we have offices in the counties as the nearer we are may be more preventative but at the moment we have gotten little which we have used in the best way possible.”

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