Senate Committee Proposes Reforms to County Revenue Management Systems

The Senate Standing Committee on Information, Communication, and Technology has launched a three-day oversight visit in Narok County to assess the effectiveness of county revenue management systems and the implementation of the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).

The visit marks the start of a broader exercise across several counties, focusing on how technology supports revenue collection, transparency, and accountability.

The committee said the exercise is part of its constitutional mandate to oversee county governments.

“The initiative aims to ensure prudent management of public resources,” it noted.

Focus on IFMIS and System Integration

During the visit, members are engaging county officials on the performance and integration of revenue systems, with a focus on IFMIS.

“The system is designed to automate financial processes, strengthen reporting and minimize revenue leakages,” the committee explained.

At the same time, the committee is assessing whether revenue collected at the county level is fully accounted for within the County Revenue Fund. It is also reviewing whether existing systems support real-time reconciliation and accurate financial reporting in line with the Public Finance Management framework.

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Need to Maximize Own-Source Revenue

Emphasizing the importance of robust systems, the committee observed that effective revenue management systems are critical in enabling counties to maximize their own-source revenue potential and reduce reliance on transfers from the national government.

Meanwhile, the oversight exercise extends to technical areas such as system integration, data security, infrastructure reliability, and compliance with national ICT and public finance policies.

Persistent Challenges in Counties

However, preliminary findings from similar engagements reveal persistent challenges.

“Counties continue to face fragmented revenue systems, limited integration with IFMIS, high system maintenance costs, and inadequate technical capacity among staff,” the committee noted.

It further warned that the use of multiple non-integrated systems undermines efficiency, compromises data integrity, and exposes revenue collection processes to potential leakages.

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Call for Integrated and Secure Systems

Consequently, the committee called for reforms, urging counties to adopt integrated, secure and user-friendly systems that align with national standards and support seamless financial management across all departments.

Following the Narok visit, the committee will proceed to Nandi, Kericho, and Kakamega counties as part of the wider inquiry.

The findings from the exercise will inform a report to the Senate, with recommendations aimed at strengthening accountability, improving policy frameworks, and enhancing revenue collection across county governments.

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The Senate delegation joins Narok County executives for a group photo at the Governor’s office to mark the start of their regional oversight tour. PHOTO/Parliament of Kenya FB.