Okiya Omtatah proposes separating Treasury from Ministry of Finance to combat corruption
By Valerian Khakayi, August 29, 2025Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has called for a structural reform aimed at enhancing financial accountability in Kenya’s public sector.
He proposes the complete separation of the National Treasury from the Ministry of Finance, arguing that this move would reduce political interference and prevent the misuse of public funds.
Speaking during an interview with a local media station on Thursday night, August 28, 2025, Omtatah said that such a separation would empower Parliament to exercise greater oversight over public finances, ensuring that resources are allocated and utilised effectively.
He believes that the current system, where the Treasury is under the Ministry of Finance, has led to mismanagement and corruption.
“Kitu imeleta corruption ni pesa ya umma kutumika vibaya na hiyo kitu hatutaimaliza mbaka tutakapo fanya , hii katiba mpya ilitupatia nafasi tuweze kutenganisha pesa na amri,turudishe, tunarudisha power ya pesa kwenye bunge na bunge inakuwa na tahasisi ambayo ni national treasury ambayo ina mamlaka ambayo mtu hawezi kutumia pesa vile anataka,:Omtatah proposed.
Omatatah emphasised the need for an independent National Treasury, free from political influence, to ensure proper management of public funds.
“Tunataka mtu ambaye anachaguliwa kwa njia ambaye president hawezi ku influence na kutolewa na mtu mmoja awena security of tenure asimamie pesa zetu, tuwe na independent treasury,” he added.
Control ya bunge kwa pesa itakuwa ni kupitisha budget na inapatiwa controller of budget
Ruto on corruption
His proposal followed Ruto’s declaration that some Members of Parliament (MPs) and Senators were undermining government programmes for personal gain.
The head of state noted that there were legitimate concerns about how resources were being spent in counties and questioned where someone could find Ksh150 million, stressing that such money belonged to the county.
“There are legitimate concerns about how resources are being spent on the counties. Let me ask, where does someone find 150 million? That is money that belongs to the county,” Ruto questioned.
Accountability
Ruto also urged the Speakers of the National Assembly and the Senate to emphasise the need for transparency and accountability among the Parliamentarians.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the Devolution Conference in Homa Bay County on Thursday, August 14, 2025, the president singled out members of the House Oversight Committees for using sessions to extort money from guests appearing to respond to audit or budgetary queries.
“Mr. Speaker, it cannot continue to be business as usual. It is unacceptable that parliamentary committees continue to demand bribes in order to write reports or to turn a blind eye to what is happening in the national or county governments,” Ruto said.
“If we allow corruption to thrive within oversight bodies, then we undermine the very foundation of our democracy. It should not be possible for a committee of Parliament to demand payment to write reports or to look the other way.”