Effectiveness of Integrated Financial Management System in enhancing governance in county governments in Kenya
Date
2022
Authors
Timbwa, Wycliffe Ondego
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
Management of funds is one of the most sensitive issues in governance especially in a country where corruption is actually a national disaster (Transparency International 2013). This calls for transparency and accountability in Public Financial Management (PFM) and associated financial systems such as Integrated Financial Management System (IFMIS) to ensure financial systems deliver the desired outcome. In Kenya, the problems of financial misappropriation, embezzlement of funds and lack of transparency in financial management right from the national government to the devolved governments is the main cause of poor governance. Although IFMIS was adopted to help improve on governance of county resources, the use of the system has not functioned to the expectation as the issue of poor governance as a result of poor fund management and unequal allocation of resources either due to lack of requisite information, overspending due to suspicious payments and compromised records that cannot be accounted still exists. This study therefore sought to examine the Effectiveness of Integrated Financial Management System in enhancing governance in county governments in Kenya. Guided by this broad objective, the study sought to examine the effectiveness of IFMIS in public financial management, IFMIS technical security risks challenges towards good governance and lastly IFMIS technical security risks controls towards good governance. The study was grounded on Technical Acceptance Model and employed descriptive cross- sectional research design. The study was quantitative in nature and a total sample of 235 respondents comprising of county executives, County finance ministers and county finance officers (planning, administration and human resource) selected purposively from all counties were selected. The study utilized primary data collected through self-administered questionnaires. A pilot test was conducted to ensure data validity and reliability. The data was analysed using SPSS for both descriptive analysis and inferential computation and results were presented in tables and charts. The results indicate that there is a positive significant association and high relationship between effective IFMIS use and good governance as IFMIS ensures real time financial transactions, automated reports and data validation. A majority of the respondents also agreed that password sharing, unsecured access points and data input errors are the main forms of IFMIS technical security risks and as such the study found out that continuous staff training, restricted sharing of passwords and continuous data back up as the surest ways of IFMIS technical security risks controls to ensure good pubic financial resource management for good governance. The study recommends that for county governments should deliberately ensure all public financial transactions are carried out through the IFMIS system and that future plans and spending of county governments should be informed by IFMIS financial reports. Furthermore, to ensure safety and integrity of data, passwords should be restricted to one user per log and that immediate users undergo continuous training on data entry and system security to mitigate data loss and wrong entry.
Description
A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment for the award of a Master of Commerce Degree at Strathmore University
Keywords
Intergrated Financial Information System, Governance, Public financial management