The Budget & Appropriations Committee has concluded a retreat on Budget implementation measures for Financial Year 2023/2024 with an inspection visit to the proposed site for the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) in Mombasa.

Led by the Vice Chairperson Hon. Mary Emaase (Teso South MP), the Committee raised concern with the status of the project and its ability to absorb the funding allocated during Financial Year 2023/2024.

The Deputy Auditor- General, CPA Edwin Kamar, took the Committee through the roadmap for actualizing the proposed regional office construction.

CPA. Kamar pointed out that the subdivision of land and issuance of title deeds was a challenge they had experienced which delayed subsequent activities but has subsequently been resolved.

He informed the Committee that the designs and development of the Bill of Quantities process had been completed and that the ground breaking is expected to start during the third quarter of this Financial Year. The OAG is looking forward to the completion of the project within 2 to 3 financial years subject to funding.

Citing budget constraints, the Deputy AG told Members of Budget Committee that other projects were put aside, for instance, construction of the Head Office in Nairobi, so as to concentrate on the Mombasa Regional office.

The proposed Coastal regional office is a six-floor building that will serve Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Tana River and Taita Taveta Counties.

The Deputy AG assured the legislators that the office will realize value for money and that any extra space would be rented out to generate revenue to supplement the maintenance budget of the building.

During the retreat, the Committee had interactive sessions with the Controller of Budget, Dr. Margaret Nyakang'o, the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) team led by Mr. Koitamet Ola Kina and the Parliamentary Budget Office.

During the inspection visit, Hon. Emaase appreciated the work done by the Office and urged the Auditor General to focus on fewer projects to completion at a time.