The man formerly tasked with checking and scrutinising government spending has faulted the State for neglecting him nine months after he retired from public service.
In an interview on Citizen TV Tuesday, former Auditor-General Edward Ouko disclosed that his security has since been withdrawn and he has not been accorded the same post-service benefits as other retired public servants.
“Generally what I call the post-service benefits and security for the Auditor General as compared to other offices has not been clearly legislated. So in terms of security it is very difficult to tell you that I’m secure or not because for now, thank God for the nine months I’ve been able to move around even though all my security was withdrawn,” he said.
“This office has no arrangement for security after leaving office. Anyone who harboured an ill motive when I was serving as the Auditor General can easily take advantage of my lack of security now to execute their plans. When you leave without a clear post service arrangement …it’s the most insecure time and I am most concerned about it,” he added.
Mr Ouko further claimed that the State still owes him some money in unpaid allowances.
“Some allowances that were due before I left office have not been paid up to now. But others like gratuity are now being worked on,” he said.
Ouko also expressed concern over the delay in appointment of an Auditor General, with the selection committee yet to submit a final shortlist of candidates to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“It is something of concern. When the cat is away, the rats may be all over the place. So there is that element that at this point in time there is a window of opportunity for those who really want to dip their hands into public coffers,” said Ouko.
“I really don’t see the reason for this gap. Recruitment should have started much earlier. Of course those who waited said a vacancy had to be declared. I really don’t see the legal sense of that. The auditor’s office is not one where you need to take a vote or hold an election… It is a professional office. So I am at loss why with the knowledge that a vacancy was approaching why that could not have been handled.”
