Page 29 - MANDERA-COUNTY- THE 2019 MAGAZINE

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he Ministry of Finance is committed to
bringing financial services closer to the
Tpeople in tandem with the spirit of inclu-
sion in devolution. In that respect, the County
Treasury has decentralized its services to the Critical Treasury
all the seven sub-counties. First was Mandera
South sub-county at Elwak in 2016 followed by
all the sub-counties in January this year. services devolved
On staff recruitment and training, the County
Treasury in partnership with AHADI Kenya has
been conducting courses for is staff including
accounting officers in capacity building and
public finance management. The unit has also
recruited internal auditors to fit in the approved
ministry establishment to improve efficiency
and ensure compliance.
With enhanced efficiency in accounting and
financial services, the unit has consolidated
and submitted to the relevant entities, timely
statutory reports and financial statements in
compliance with the Public Finance Manage-
ment Act, 2012. The unit’s efficient cash flow
management has ensured continuous county
services operations.

The National Treasury has in turn recognized
the continued commitment and setting of the
right tone at the top on financial reporting and
the progress made by the county in posting
transactions in IFMIS. This performance has re-
sulted in the seconding of technical assistance
from the National Treasury for the reconciliation
of financial statements to IFMIS and the resolu-
tion of audit issues.
Sub-county heads during a training
programme on decentralization of services.
On supply chain management, the County
Treasury has attained effective procurement INSET: County Chief Officer for Accounting
services with a consolidated County Annual and Financial Services Alinoor Mohamed
delivers a lecture during the training.
Procurement Plan achieved in full compliance
with the Public Procurement and Asset Dispos-
al Act, 2015 and the regulations thereto.
providing them with various guidelines and tem-
Decentralization of procurement services to plates for their use.
sub-counties and the engagement of only
prequalified suppliers with evidence of existing The department established an Asset and Lo-
business at the sub-counties have gone a long gistics Management Unit responsible for all the
way in providing opportunities for residents, assets and logistics activities within the county.
helping improve their living standards.
The activities include an up-to-date county asset
register, assets tagging, asset tracking, mainte-
The County Treasury has been preparing all nance and servicing.
budget guidelines and plans in time, includ-
ing the Budget Circular, the County Budget Despite the challenges, the department has reg-
Review and Outlook Paper (CBROP) and the istered improved local revenue collection com-
County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP) in com- paratively from last year. The introduction of the
pliance with sections 128, 188 and 117 of the mobile phone payment system are among the
Public Finance Management Act, 2012. The measures that have been put in place to diver- Decentralization of procurement
department has further converted the County sify and improve local revenue collection services to sub-counties and the
Budget into IFMIS compliance through timely
coding and system feeding. Country Treasury has five units - Accounting engagement of only pre-qualified
and Financial Services, Economic Planning and suppliers with evidence of existing
The ministry has provided effective citizen en- Statistics, Revenue Services, ICT Services and businesses at the sub-counties have
gagement throughout the budget process by Special Programmes and Disaster Manage-
conducting public participation in all the seven ment. provided opportunities and helped
sub-counties. Monitoring, evaluation and re- improve living standards.
porting on the budget implementation have The ministry has lived upto its vision of be-
been also achieved. ing ‘A well-resourced and efficiently managed
The department has embraced and operation- Mandera County’ and its mission ‘To effectively
alized the programme based budgeting (PBB) mobilize, prudently manage resources, and pro-
concept by enhancing accounting officers vide leadership in development planning and
capacity on budgeting through trainings and
tracking of results’.