NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 18 – Controller of Budget (CoB) Margaret Nyakang’o says her office does not have direct oversight of government funds and levies that are not held under the Consolidated Fund.

Speaking on Citizen TV, Nyakang’o said the Office of the Controller of Budget (OCoB) does not have visibility over funds including the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), Sovereign Wealth Fund and Primary Healthcare Fund because they are not part of the Consolidated Fund.

“Anything called a fund we won’t see it. The Primary Care Fund will be in the individual budgets of either the Counties. So when they are requisitioning they usually do transfers. What do we mean by transfers? In that they will ask for a block of funds to go and do something. So I approve it as a lumpsum,” Nyakang’o said.

Under the law, the Controller of Budget authorises withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund, Equalisation Fund and County Revenue Fund after confirming that the withdrawals are lawful.

Lack of legislative mandate is one of the legal stumbling blocks blamed for inhibiting Nyakang’o’s office from monitoring funds outside the State’s budget channels.

However, MPs have recommended amending the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act to allow the CoB to oversee funds and levies such as the Housing Levy.

The OCoB is also mandated to oversee the implementation of budgets, provide advice to public entities and submit statutory budget implementation reports to Parliament.