ASSEMBLY APPROVES DAN OCHIENG OKOTH AS CECM FOR FINANCE AND ECONOMIC PLANNING
————————————-
Wednesday, 26th August, 2026
————————————-
The County Assembly of Siaya has unanimously approved the nomination of Dan Ochieng Okoth as the next County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Finance and Economic Planning.
The approval followed his vetting by the House Committee on Appointments, which considered his academic and professional qualifications, experience, integrity and suitability for the position before tabling its report before the Assembly for consideration.
The Committee noted that Okoth brings extensive experience in public finance and administration, having built a long career in public financial management. He joined the Ministry of Finance (The Treasury) as an Accountant Grade II and subsequently rose through the ranks to serve as a District Accountant in various parts of the country.
He later joined the County Government of Siaya, where he served as Chief Officer in the departments of Trade and Industrialization and Finance and Economic Planning.
During his vetting, the nominee outlined several priority areas that he intends to address if formally appointed to the position.
On pending bills, Okoth acknowledged the significant magnitude of outstanding obligations facing the County Government, noting that their accumulation has placed considerable pressure on the county budget. He committed to promoting financial discipline and prudent management of public resources, with the aim of clearing existing pending bills while putting in place measures to prevent the accumulation of new ones.
On roll-over projects, the nominee attributed delays in their presentation and reporting partly to inadequate planning and monitoring. He pledged to reorganize the department to ensure that quarterly progress reports are prepared and submitted on time. This, he said, would enable the County Government to assess project implementation, accurately project payments and identify early projects that were likely to roll over into the subsequent financial year. He also committed to ensuring that such information is available in good time to inform the county budget-making process.
The nominee further addressed the persistent challenge of non-remittance of statutory deductions. He committed to ensuring that deductions made from employees’ salaries are remitted to the relevant institutions within the prescribed timelines. He said this would help safeguard employees’ access to accrued benefits, including pension and health-related benefits.
On delays in implementation of the approved budget, Okoth attributed the challenge, in part, to inadequate coordination among departments. He pledged to strengthen interdepartmental coordination and collaboration to facilitate timely implementation of the approved budget, subject to his appointment.
The Assembly’s approval paves the way for Governor James Orengo to formally appoint Okoth to the Finance and Economic Planning docket.
