NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan lawmakers intensified pressure on the National Treasury this week, demanding immediate action on financial mismanagement that has left $7.7 million sitting idle for a decade and a critical pension system in limbo, affecting thousands of retirees.
The Special Funds Accounts Committee of the National Assembly summoned Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo on Tuesday in a tense oversight session that exposed what legislators described as “clear failures in governance and financial oversight.”
At the heart of the inquiry: Why has 1 billion Kenyan shillings remained untouched for over ten years in a fund operating without a board or fund manager? And why does an electronic pension system, already procured and piloted, still not serve a single retiree?
“Where Is the Leadership?”
Committee Chairman Rahim Dawood, the Member of Parliament for North Imenti, opened the session by documenting Kiptoo’s previous absences from parliamentary summons, underscoring what he called a pattern of evasion.
“Parliament has a constitutional duty to oversee public spending,” Dawood said, his voice firm as he addressed the principal secretary. “These are not optional appearances. This is about protecting citizens’ money.”
Kiptoo, who had previously failed to attend scheduled hearings, acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
“I am aware of the demands of this office, and I commit to full cooperation moving forward,” he told the committee, though his assurances did little to ease lawmakers’ frustration.
MP Kivasu Nzioka, representing Mbooni constituency, pressed further, demanding guarantees that Treasury officials would no longer dodge parliamentary oversight.
“Persistent non-compliance will lead to tougher sanctions,” Nzioka warned. “We cannot allow this pattern to continue.”
Elderly Kenyans Left Waiting
Perhaps the most emotionally charged discussion centered on the Electronic Pensions Management Information System — a modernization project that has languished despite being fully procured and piloted.
The system was designed to streamline pension payments for retired civil servants, eliminating bureaucratic delays and ensuring timely disbursements. Instead, it sits dormant while elderly Kenyans who dedicated decades to public service struggle to receive their benefits.
Committee members described the human cost in stark terms: retirees facing financial hardship, emotional distress, and indignity after years of faithful service to their country.
“These are people who built this nation,” one legislator said. “They should not be begging for what they are owed.”
The committee ordered Treasury to reconcile missing balances and submit a comprehensive report within 14 days. Audit findings presented during the hearing revealed troubling weaknesses in both the system’s operational readiness and the government’s financial recordkeeping.
The Mystery of the Idle Billion
Equally troubling to lawmakers was the revelation of 1 billion shillings — approximately $7.7 million — sitting untouched in a fund that has operated for more than a decade without proper governance structures.
The fund has no appointed board. No fund manager. And apparently, no plan for the money.
“Why has this money not been invested?” one MP demanded. “Why has it not been redirected to urgent national priorities like healthcare, education, or infrastructure?”
The questions hung in the air as Treasury officials struggled to provide satisfactory answers.
For a country where development needs are vast and resources scarce, the sight of millions collecting dust struck legislators as an inexcusable failure of stewardship.
A Pattern of Lapses
Tuesday’s hearing was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern that has alarmed parliamentary watchdogs.
The Special Funds Accounts Committee has documented repeated instances of Treasury officials missing scheduled appearances, incomplete financial reports, and unexplained delays in implementing reforms that Parliament has already mandated.
These lapses come at a time when Kenya faces mounting pressure to demonstrate fiscal responsibility. The country has sought international support for debt management while citizens demand better services and more efficient use of tax revenues.
“We are not asking for the impossible,” Chairman Dawood said. “We are asking for basic accountability, basic financial discipline, and basic respect for the public resources entrusted to government.”
What Comes Next
The committee has given Treasury a tight 14-day deadline to produce a detailed report addressing the pension system failures and reconciling financial discrepancies.
Officials must explain the status of the electronic pension platform, provide a timeline for its activation, and account for every shilling in the dormant fund.
Should Treasury fail to comply or continue its pattern of non-responsiveness, lawmakers have indicated they are prepared to escalate the matter, potentially invoking parliamentary sanctions or referring officials to law enforcement.
“This committee will not relent,” Dawood said as the session concluded. “We will continue to ensure that all public funds are properly managed, accounted for, and used to serve the people effectively and transparently.”
For Kenya’s retirees still waiting for their pensions, and for citizens watching billions sit idle while schools and hospitals struggle, the question remains: Will words translate into action?
