Busia MCAs audit over county rent arrears

Busia County Assembly Committee on Public Administration has kicked off an audit of tenancy documents and address escalating rent arrears and discrepancies owed to private landlords.

The oversight exercise was triggered by a motion sponsored by Bukhayo East Member of County Assembly (MCA) Eunice Wandera.

The motion mandated the committee to investigate the operational status of leased ward premises, verify the legitimacy of active lease agreements, and establish actionable measures by the executive to settle all outstanding liabilities.

During the audit, the committee led by Chairperson Richard Mudibo and Vice Chairperson Achieng Ochieng toured various administrative offices in Samia and Bunyala sub-counties, where they uncovered substantial debt accumulation and glaring record discrepancies.

Exposing the extent of the unpaid bills, Committee Chairperson Richard Mudibo expressed deep concern over liabilities that have remained unpaid for nearly four years.

"It is deeply concerning that the county executive has allowed rent arrears to accumulate since 2021 without resolution. Landlords who have offered their facilities to serve the public deserve prompt compensation, and we cannot allow administrative inertia to strain relations between the local government and property owners," said Mudibo

In Samia Sub-County, committee checks revealed that Namboboto/Nambuku Ward has accumulated rent arrears amounting to sh395,400, while neighbouring Bwiri Ward owes its landlord sh475,800 in unpaid dues.

The situation proved even more chaotic in Nangina Ward, where the inspection team uncovered a sharp contradiction between official executive documentation and actual claims on the ground.

While departmental financial records listed the ward's debt at sh600,000, the property owner presented documentation demonstrating an outstanding balance of sh1.36 million.

Highlighting the need for accountability, Bukhayo East MCA Hon. Eunice Wandera, whose motion prompted the investigation, emphasized that financial irregularities in lease management must be brought to an end.

"When we sponsor motions of this nature, our goal is to restore fiscal discipline and safeguard public funds. The discrepancies we are seeing—where executive records conflict drastically with claims by landlords underline a clear breakdown in record-keeping that must be resolved immediately," Wandera stated.

To address the situation, Vice Chairperson Achieng Ochieng announced strict deadlines for field officers to surrender all necessary documentation for full reconciliation.

"We are giving all Ward Administrators exactly seven days to submit complete lease agreements, utility statements, and payment receipts. Every single shilling claimed by landlords must match verifiable documentation before the county assembly approves any disbursements," said Ochieng.

Supporting the verification measures, Nangina MCA Johnstone Makabwa noted that the ongoing crisis directly impacts the day-to-day delivery of public services within the local communities.

"Decentralized administration was meant to bring government services closer to the people. When ward offices face threats of eviction or persistent disputes with landlords over unpaid rent, it is the ordinary citizen who suffers due to disrupted services," said Makabwa.

Malaba South MCA Hon. Bonface Mamai urged the committee to maintain a thorough oversight approach as the exercise expands across the remaining sub-counties.

"Our mandate as an oversight body is clear. We will inspect every single ward office across Busia County to ensure no public money is unaccounted for and that valid debts owed to our citizens are prioritized for settlement," says Mamai.

The inspection team, which also includes Johnstone Makabwa (Nangina), Bonface Mamai (Malaba South), and Eunice Wandera (Bukhayo East), will proceed to evaluate ward headquarters across the remaining sub-counties over the coming days.

Upon completion of the physical audit and document verification exercise, the committee is scheduled to synthesize its findings into a comprehensive report.

The final document, complete with binding policy recommendations on lease management and debt settlement, will be tabled before the full house of the Busia County Assembly for debate and adoption.