Confidential expenditure is a perfect cover for public money to be spent by bureaucrats not keen to account for public resources in the manner expected of them in a democratic country.
The 2010 Constitution (Article 10) spells out the principles of transparency and accountability that should govern public affairs.
In my view, excuses such as confidential and or secret spending is an outdated system that has no place in Kenya.
When expenses are shrouded in mystery and given the blanket cover of confidential, like in a military dictatorship, it helps only the big chiefs because it no longer looks like public money.
I think the government needs to realise that the supreme law of the land frowns upon such undemocratic practices that have been overtaken by events.
I think there is a sense in which the government is still stuck with the old Constitutional order while the rest of Kenyans have embraced the ethos espoused by the new Constitution.
I think the government needs to realise, without anyone going to court, that some of the provisions that they are hiding under to perpetuate lack of transparency and accountability, particularly on public expenditures, are unconstitutional and therefore need to be treated as such so that we all embrace more accountable and transparent processes of managing public resources.
Parliament is charged with the responsibility of oversight, legislation and representation.
If these issues are of concern to the people, then we want to see our representatives, who are responsible for making the budget, approving the budget and suggesting new ways of making public expenditure transparent.
We need to see Parliament enacting laws or making changes to the rules of procedures that undermine the current efforts being undertaken to fight corruption.
I would only be comfortable and convinced that public resources have been spent prudently if there is public explanation of how the money was spent.
Even if the expenses are not explained immediately, there should be a procedure that ensures public money is not treated as personal property by senior civil servants.
The coordinator of the National Civil Society Congress spoke to the Star
