Turkana Suppliers and Contractors Petition Controller of Budget Over Alleged Fund Diversion in Turkana County
Turkana County Suppliers and Contractors have formally petitioned the Controller of Budget, raising concerns over what they describe as persistent discrepancies in the management and disbursement of public funds allocated to Turkana County Government.
In a letter dated May 13, 2026, and copied to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Auditor-General, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Budget, the group alleges that approved fund requisitions are not translating into payments for suppliers despite supporting documentation having been submitted and approved.
The suppliers claim there is a recurring pattern in which requisitions approved by the Office of the Controller of Budget are followed by non-payment of the intended beneficiaries. According to the petition, many vouchers used to justify funding requests have reportedly remained at the “Internet Banking (IB) Final Stage” since January 2026, yet are allegedly bypassed once funds are released.
The contractors further accuse county officials of diverting funds intended for specific, long-outstanding invoices to other interests and invoices that were not included in the original justification documents submitted for approval.
The petition also questions why requisitions containing the same unpaid invoices continue to receive approval month after month without what the suppliers describe as a thorough audit into why the beneficiaries remain unpaid despite previous approvals.
Invoking Article 35 of the Constitution of Kenya, which guarantees the right to access information, the association has requested the Controller of Budget to provide:
1. A comprehensive list of all approved fund requisitions for Turkana County Government from January 2026 to date.
2. A detailed list of invoices and vouchers attached to those requisitions as justification for the release of funds.
The suppliers warn that the alleged practices are severely affecting businesses in Turkana, claiming that many local enterprises are struggling financially due to delayed or non-payment for services rendered.
“We seek your intervention to ensure that the Office of the Controller of Budget is not used to facilitate the diversion of public funds at the expense of legitimate service providers,” the letter states.
The petition was signed by Stanley Erupe, Acting Chairman of Turkana County Suppliers and Contractors, who urged the Controller of Budget to respond and furnish the requested information within the timelines provided by law.
The Office of the Controller of Budget and Turkana County Government had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.
The latest petition comes just days after Turkana suppliers and contractors threatened industrial action over delayed settlement of pending bills by the county government, escalating pressure on authorities to address concerns over accountability, fund utilization, and the timely payment of legitimate service providers.
