Treasury Cabinet Secretary nominee John Mbadi has pledged to introduce a new accounting system aimed at addressing the longstanding issue of pending bills, particularly in the counties, if he is approved for the position.
During his vetting, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula highlighted the issue of corruption in the prioritization of pending bills. Wetangula recalled an incident from about eight years ago, where a committee tasked with verifying pending bills was corrupted, with individuals allegedly paying bribes to have their bills prioritized. “It became a toll station, and people with so-called pending bills turned up with briefcases to have their pending bills approved,” Wetangula said.
Mbadi responded by stressing the need for a robust system that ensures the proper prioritization of bills. He emphasized that the Public Finance Management Act mandates the prioritization of pending bills and suggested criminalizing the failure of government entities to pay them.
“I will make sure that we have a system in place which locks anyone who attempts to pay a new bill while ignoring an old one. The system can lock you out, ensuring a ‘first in, first out’ approach. If a bill is due, it should be paid,” Mbadi stated.
Acknowledging the seriousness of the pending bills issue, Mbadi alleged that many of these bills are fictitious. He mentioned that the pending bills verification committee, chaired by Edward Ouko, has so far received claims amounting to over Sh663 billion.
Mbadi is among five nominees scheduled for vetting today. The other nominees are Salim Mvurya (Trade), Rebecca Miano (Tourism), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), and Kipchumba Murkomen (Sports).
Currently, Mbadi serves as the chair of the powerful Public Accounts Committee, responsible for holding ministries, departments, and agencies accountable.
