Billions of shillings collected from Kenyans through various government levies are now under the spotlight.
The Controller of Budget, Dr Margaret Nyakang’o, says her office can not fully track some of the money once it is collected.
Speaking before Parliament, Nyakang’o said funds held outside the Consolidated Fund are not visible to her office in the normal way.
“No visibility at all,” she told MPs.
The funds include money collected through the Affordable Housing Levy, social health insurance, the Road Maintenance Levy, Railway Development Levy, and Air Passenger Levy.
The concern is simple: if the Controller of Budget can not see the money, who is keeping track of how it is spent?
Parliament is now looking at ways to strengthen oversight of these funds, including possible changes to the Public Finance Management Act.
The issue comes as billions of shillings continue to be collected through these levies every year.
For Kenyans paying the money, the debate is now about one thing — transparency.
How much is being collected? Where is the money held? And how is it being spent?
Those are the questions Parliament is now being asked to answer.