Controller of Budget issues apology to Governor Mwangaza over inaccurate foreign travel report
In a surprising turn of events, the Controller of Budget has issued a formal apology to Governor Kawira Mwangaza over an error in a recent report on foreign travel expenses.
The report had sparked controversy, claiming that the County Executive had spent a staggering Sh903.20 million on foreign trips during the years 2023-2024.
However, in a letter addressed to the Governor, the Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o revealed that the expenditure by the County Executive was incorrectly captured, with the word “million” mistakenly included. The actual amount spent was Sh903,200.
The Controller of Budget took full responsibility for the error, attributing it to an “inadvertent mistake”. The report has since been withdrawn and replaced with the correct version.
“We apologize for the omission and misrepresentation. We commit to take corrective action on the above erroneous reporting in line with our revision policy. The corrective action will be contained in the Annual County Budget Implementation Review Report for FY 2023/24, which will be published in August 2024.” Nyakang’o stated in the letter.
This development comes on the heels of Governor Mwangaza’s denial of any involvement in foreign trips using public funds.
The Governor had expressed disbelief at the report, which had sparked outrage among citizens.
Meanwhile, the County Assembly is facing scrutiny over its own foreign travel expenses, with allegations of lavish spending amounting to Ksh.28 million in Arusha, Tanzania.
The apology by the Controller of Budget marks a significant step towards correcting the record and restoring transparency in financial reporting. It remains to be seen how this development will impact public trust in government institutions and officials.
