KEBS recognises Bungoma County Assembly with historic ISO certification

Nairobi, Kenya — The Commission on Administrative Justice has mandated the Homa Bay County Government and County Assembly to reveal information about the funding and building of the county's new headquarters within a span of 21 days, threatening criminal charges for non-compliance. These orders target the project's approvals, lease-to-own financing deal with the County Pension Fund, and any potential long-term financial risks following the institutions' overdue response to a request from the Katiba Institute in March 2025.

Two rulings issued on October 8 affirmed the county executive and assembly's duty to make public information available. "The County Government must disclose, among other records, approvals for the project, agreements with CPF, and reports detailing financial obligations, including contingent liabilities," said the Katiba Institute.

The County Assembly was additionally ordered to submit certified Hansard records, relevant legislation, implementation and financial reports, committee records, and supporting documents, with lawful exemptions. The commission clarified that legislative privileges do not automatically protect records from disclosure, and that any exempt sections must be removed.

Following the review applications, the County Secretary and Clerk of the County Assembly are to provide the requested records within the 21-day deadline. Failure to comply could result in criminal prosecution under Section 28 of the Access to Information Act. Katiba Institute's Executive Director Nora Mbagathi emphasized that these rulings reaffirm the public's right to scrutinize decisions involving public resources, stating, "These rulings reaffirm a fundamental constitutional principle: public institutions must be open and accountable to the people they serve. Decisions involving public resources cannot be shielded from public scrutiny."