Setback for Benjamin Cheboi as budget is rejected

Baringo, Kenya: The Controller of Budget (COB) has rejected the Baringo County budget for failing to adhere to Commission on Revenue Allocations (CRA) ceilings and leaving out Sh23 million grant awarded by Denmark.

In a letter sent to Governor Ben Cheboi and signed by the Deputy Controller of Budget Stephen Masha, he poked holes in the budget for not adhering to various requirements and a circular earlier sent by Office of the Controller of Budget (OCB) and Transitional Authority.

“Pursuant to article 228(5) of the Constitution, the OCB required all county governments to fully comply with the Public Financial Management Framework when developing the FY2014/15 Budgets to enable timely approval,” reads the letter.

It adds that, “the Constitution requires public money to be used in a prudent and responsible way.”

OCB in the letter also copied to Chairman Council of Governors, Baringo County Assembly Speaker, Clerk and CRA Chairman, says the budget will only be approved when the institutions take corrective measures.

“Allocation to the county executive and county assembly should be based on the Commission of Revenue Allocation circular Ref: CRA/CGM/VOL.III dated April 22 on budget ceiling,” reads the letter of rejection of county budget.

The Controller of Budget says the county government did not adhere to some requirements which included aligning the budget to the approved county integrated development plans, public participation and budgets must be balanced.

The controller of budget also accused the county government of not adhering to Transitional Authority Circular on hiring of ward office employees and setting unrealistic local revenue target.

But Speaker William Kamket said OCB had no role in rejecting what county assemblies had passed.