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Governor Fernandes Barasa has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding audits of county governments, calling for a shift from punitive approaches to reform oriented assessments that strengthen devolution rather than undermine it.
Speaking as a key voice within the devolution family, Barasa emphasized that most audits conducted on county governments and county assemblies should be designed to improve systems, enhance accountability and promote better use of public resources.
He argued that unless an audit is addressing a specific case involving the loss or misuse of public funds, the focus should remain on improvement rather than punishment.
For us in the devolution family, we would prefer most of these audits to be improvement audits,” Barasa said. “Only special audits dealing with the loss of public resources should take a different route.”
The governor noted that many of the issues raised by auditors are not criminal in nature but are instead intended to ensure that counties are operating efficiently.
According to Barasa, audits play a critical role in evaluating whether county governments and assemblies are utilizing resources prudently and whether internal control systems are functioning as intended.
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He warned that turning routine audits into political weapons risks weakening devolution by creating fear and paralysis among county officials.
Instead of promoting good governance, such an approach could discourage innovation and slow down service delivery to wananchi.
Barasa’s remarks come at a time when counties across the country are facing increased scrutiny from oversight institutions, with several audit queries triggering political tension and public debate.
While acknowledging the importance of accountability, the governor insisted that oversight must be fair, objective and aimed at building stronger institutions.
“Audits should help counties identify weaknesses, correct mistakes, and improve systems,” he said. “That is how devolution will succeed.”
The Kakamega governor further underscored that effective internal controls are central to sound financial management at the county level.
He stated that audits should assess whether these systems are working and recommend corrective measures where gaps exist, rather than immediately escalating matters to enforcement agencies.
Barasa also appealed for collaboration between national oversight bodies and county governments, saying devolution can only thrive when there is mutual respect and a shared commitment to transparency and service delivery.
As counties continue to implement development projects and manage increasing budgets, his call adds to growing voices advocating for audits that strengthen governance structures instead of turning devolution into a battleground of constant suspicion.
In Barasa’s view, accountability and devolution are not enemies but partners that must work together for the benefit of the Kenyan people.
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