MBADI APPROVES UNIFIED ACCOUNT TO CURB COUNTY FUND THEFT

CS for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, John Mbadi has backed the National Treasury’s move to introduce a Unified County Revenue Account system aimed at sealing loopholes in the management of county finances.
Mbadi said the new system will enhance transparency and accountability, citing increasing concerns over misuse and misappropriation of devolved funds by governors and other county officials.
“The time has come to tighten control over public resources at the county level. A Unified Account will allow real-time monitoring and reduce opportunities for theft,” said Mbadi during a press briefing in Nairobi.
He called on the Council of Governors to cooperate with the Treasury and warned that resistance to the system would only fuel suspicions of financial impropriety.
The Unified County Revenue Account plan, proposed by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u, seeks to consolidate all county revenue collections into a single account under the oversight of the Controller of Budget. This move is expected to curb fragmentation of revenue streams and eliminate ghost transactions.
Some governors have opposed the plan, arguing it undermines devolution and county autonomy. However, Mbadi dismissed those claims as a cover-up for lack of transparency.
The Office of the Auditor General has repeatedly flagged widespread irregularities in county expenditure, including unsupported payments, inflated procurement costs, and missing funds — issues the unified system aims to address.