Probe loss of public funds through Ifmis

Questions about integrity of the Intergrated Financial Management

(Ifmis) have dominated public debate in the past few weeks . First it was
a report about false budgetery expendentures by Kiambu Governor
Ferdinard Waititu to the national limelight for the wrong
reason.Quickly,itsnowballed into a mojor scandal when it transpired that
at least 11 counties has been conscripted into the fraud .
Hoewever, we are concerned that there is no suffiecient anger and
urgency to deal with the swindle.Which is why we are revisting the
matter. These is an air of eerie silence yet we are confronted with a
possible racket of montrous propotion.Already,it is estimated that some
Sh10 bilion may have been lost through the scam and figure could be
higher if the full details come to light.

Here is a case of White -collar crime perpetrated by technology

experts.But it is not that simple .Big names must be involved ;such grand
heist cannot be perfected by a few information and technology experts
without collusion and connivance by the high and migthy .Which may
explain the silence because nobody wants to confront the reality and the
applecart.
When Ifmis was introduced ,it was touted as the panacea for the
pervading financial muddle in the public sector.As technology system ,it
has inbuilt systems that counter-check and block fradulent
transactions.Security is guranteed through layered passwords issued
based on responsility and the level of senority.Not anyone is accessible
to the system.Neither can anyone perform any transaction beyond the
assigned authourity .Indeed,those are basic components of all financial
systems.
This is the reasons why explanations given by the National Treasury
that the errors may have accrued through missteps by the county
financial mangers is hogwash .A major finacial management systems like
this one cannot be susceptible to such errors .Those are properly
planned and well-calculated schemes to be benefits few individuals.
The National Treasury must come out clear on this .This is not a simple
matter .Drastic actions must be taken .Heads must roll.We take
cognisance of the step taken to unravel the puzzle by constituting a
multisectoral agency involving the National Treasury ,Auditor
General ,Controller of Budget and the Council of Governors to
investigate the scam. But that is not enough .We demand far-reaching
actions ;first to rein in the perpertrators of the con and second,find a
lasting solution to the loopholes that make the system valnuerable to
theft.
Suspects must not hide faces

Chief Justice David Maraga is concerned the increasing tendency by

suspects to appear in courts concealing their faces as it is interfering
with the delivery of justice.The issue has been seriously debated
following the arraigning of Kenya Revenue Authority employees over
corruption allegations.It goes without saying that its important that the
suspects be clearly identified.
How are magistrates and jugdes expected to know for sure who the
people appearing before them are if they produced in the court with
their faces covered?
It’s assuring ,therefore,to hear the CJ pronounce himself on this
matter ,which has,unfortunately ,drawn attention to the courts for the
wrong reason. When public attention is not on the administration of
justice ,but needles drama and weird antics this amount to the
denigration of the vital institituon in enforcing law and order in society.
While the right to privacy must be protected ,where it seems to interfere
with the administration of justice ,it must be allowed.Indeed, due
process is to have suspects especially in criminal matters easily identified
and connected the charges they are facing.Magistrates and jugdes must
never entertain behaviour that puts the court and religious
justification ,such as the requirement for Muslim women to wear hijab
or some other regalia ,as the CJ has pointed out they still must comply
with court directions when required.This cannot be said of the huge
dark glasses and hoods that some people hve taken to wearing
whenever they are taken to court.
As some people have rightly pointed out ,when suspects who are
arrested without hoodies and other paraphernalia turn up in court
covering their faces with them then the source of the items must be
questioned.Could there ,for instance ,be a new racket in which the
arresting officers are proctecting from selling or renting out such
items?
Simply being taken to court does not mean the suspects are
guilty .There should be no reason for them to feel ashamed and hide
their faces unless they have done something wrong .After all,they are
innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.