- Odhiambo was speaking during a Boxing Day commentation with his constituents at the home of former MP Joe Aketch Donde in Central Gem.
- "He (Orengo) promised the people of Siaya that within 60 days he would release the Ouko report. Up now that the report is gathering dust."
Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo on Monday faulted Siaya governor James Orengo for failing to release the financial and human resource systems task force report upon the expiring of the stipulated time.
Odhiambo was speaking during a Boxing Day commentation with his constituents at the home of former MP Joe Aketch Donde in Central Gem.
"He (Orengo) promised the people of Siaya that within 60 days he would release the Ouko report. Up now that the report is gathering dust. We want to know the details of that report and who bares the greatest responsibility for misusing the resources of the people of Siaya," Odhiambo said.
Through a Press Statement of September 22, 2022, governor Orengo published names of eminent persons whom he said were to audit the financial and human resource systems of the last two financial years of his predecessor Cornel Rasanga.
The taskforce was to be led by retired Auditor General FCPA Edward Ouko.
Other members included Prof Adams Oloo, Grace Ongile, Bella Akinyi, Peter Joseph Okoth, Jared Buoga, and Rowena Stella Ndeda (Secretary).
Orengo officially unveiled the seven-member taskforce on October 4, 2022, at the governor's office premises in Siaya town.
According to the county boss, the taskforce was to receive technical expertise and support from the Institute of Economic Affairs.
Speaking then, Orengo noted that the taskforce was to make ready an interim report in 30 days and a full report in 60 days.
Counting from October 4, 2022, the 60 days expired on December 3, 2022.
MP Odhiambo demands that Orengo releases the report immediately because public money was spent on paying the seven taskforce members.
"We are not begging for the report. It must be made public because the Ouko-led commission was using public resources," Odhiambo pointed out.
The second-term legislator explained that the people of Siaya deserve to see the work that the taskforce did for accountability purposes.
About Sh20 million was most likely spent on the Ouko-led taskforce. This is according to the Supplementary Budget 2022/2023 which was approved by the Siaya County Assembly on November 15, 2022.
On page 11 of the supplementary budget document, a statement reads:
"Some of the items whose budgetary provisions have been proposed for either enhancement or are newly introduced ... Other Operating Expenses - Taskforce in the Finance Department by Ksh 20 million..."
The Star sought clarity on which taskforce this was but Usonga Ward MCA and Budget Committee chairperson Sylvester Madialo was not available on the phone at the time of going to press.
However, the vice chairperson of the Budget Committee Susan Okwirry could not confirm which taskforce the supplementary budget was referring to.
"What I know is that we normally allocate money for consultancy services," Okwirry told the Star on phone.
Linda Ugatuzi leader Prof Fred Ogola has also come out blazing; demanding that governor Orengo releases the report.
"What he (Orengo) knows now is that the people of Siaya have forgotten and the days have passed without any report. Orengo is a funeral politician who sends money to every funeral and attends all of them instead of following up on the audit issue," Prof Ogola told the Star.
Prof Ogola believes that the formation of the taskforce was a waste of time and public resources; a tendency he claimed Orengo had adopted from the KANU days of the late President Daniel Moi.
"The taskforce is a delay tactic of (former president) Moi of setting up commission's to investigate commissions. They put us in a vicious cycle whereby there is a crime but culprits are not found," Prof Ogola said.
Governor Orengo had formed the taskforce against the backdrop of over Sh400 million having been allegedly carted away by some assembly and treasury staff in July and August 2022.
Earlier, there was also Ksh600 million that was lost to corruption and which the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has been investigating to date.
In particular, Orengo wanted the Ouko-led audit team to review existing financial and other internal control systems, processes and procedures of budget management and IFMIS operations.
The county boss also instructed the team to audit own-source revenue collection and utilization, integrity and efficiency of county government activities and supply chains.
Orengo wanted them to audit imprest accounts, retention accounts, pending bills, project management committee funds, payroll and staff establishment.
The committee was instructed to assess and recommend reforms in governance structure and systems for the purpose of enhancement of efficient and accountable service delivery.
Further, Ouko and the team were tasked by Orengo to advise the county on sector-based growth and development and automation of county operations.
Speaking during the unveiling of the taskforce, Orengo criticized other investigative agencies in the country for perennially investigating corruption in Siaya without any positive outcome.
"The perennial presence of these agencies within our institutions without appropriate executable action being taken disrupts activities and work of the county government," Orengo had said.
FCPA Ouko, who hails from Siaya county said during their unavailing that the team had accepted the assignment due to their love for their home county.
Ouko promised to apply their professionalism in ensuring that Siaya county resources are utilized appropriately.
Asked about the whereabouts of the report and the expired timeframe, Orengo's Press Unit Director Benjamin Agina said that the report will be released in just a bit.
"We are at the tail end and finalizing it. The day for the release is not yet set though," Agina told the Star on phone.
Agina explained that the governor's office had received the information (audit report) but "we had some extension because we want to have a watertight report".
The communication director further denied knowledge of claims that the report has been leaked to the public.
On Saturday, word went around Siaya county's social media platforms that the original report had been leaked but delays were meant to doctor it ahead of official release to the public.
Orengo himself on Christmas Day said that he has since developed a thick skin and was ready for criticism.
Prof Ogola is of the opinion that counties with governors and senators belonging to the same political parties have a deficiency of oversight ability.
As such, Ogola noted that the pressure group that he leads has launched a constitutional amendment drive wanting that, in future, one political party be denied the latitude of sponsoring both gubernatorial and senatorial candidates.
"We want the law amended so that the senator and governor do not come from the same party. We want a senator who can oversight the governor; not like in Siaya where senator Oburu Oginga is a family friend of governor Orengo."