Civil Society Organizations have criticized MPs for attacking Auditor General Nancy Gathungu and Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o.

The groups said that the attack on the two officers amounts to intimidation of State officers.

The attacks came after the Auditor General released an audit report for all State organs’ performance in the period between 2023 and 2024.

The audit revealed inconsistencies in various State agencies.

Speaking to the media in Nairobi on Friday, the lobby groups reiterated that the Auditor General and Controller of Budget must be afforded the full protection and resources necessary to execute their mandate without intimidation or prejudice.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the intimidation and intensified conversation around the Public Audit Amendment Bill 2024 proposing an audit advisory board aimed at limiting the powers and independence of the Auditor General. Such actions constitute a direct assault on institutional integrity and accountability,” Diana Gichengo of the Institute for Social Accountability said.

The lobbies urged Parliament to uphold the independence of the two offices by implementing audit recommendations, as is required by law.

The auditor general’s report revealed how state department for medical services broke the law when setting up the Social health scheme system.

In their statement, the lobby groups want the government to cease all Social Health Authority (SHA) contracts, and President William Ruto to declare SHA a national issue.

“What we are pushing for is transparency and accountability. Therefore, we want them to cease all SHA contracts, and the president to declare it a national issue instead of the many proposals to limit the auditor general and controller of budget’s powers,” Annette Nerima, from the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said.

The groups also proposed the establishment of an independent public debt management office at the Ministry of Treasury, to help manage the country’s borrowing appetite.