ADVERT 
ADVERTCPA Dan Ochieng Okoth has officially assumed office as Siaya County’s new CECM for Finance and Economic Planning, inheriting a docket under pressure to tighten fiscal discipline, clear pending bills and accelerate development spending.
CPA Dan Ochieng Okoth has been sworn in as the new County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Finance and Economic Planning in the Siaya County Government, marking a significant change at the helm of the county’s financial affairs.
Okoth, the nominee of Governor James Orengo, takes over the powerful finance docket following the resignation of Benedict Omollo, after a period in which George Nyingiro served in an acting capacity.
His swearing-in followed his vetting and approval by the Siaya County Assembly, paving the way for his formal appointment and assumption of office.
The new Finance CECM brings considerable experience in public-sector accounting, financial management and county administration to a department at the heart of virtually every major government programme.
ADVERTOkoth previously served at the National Treasury, where he worked as an Accountant Grade II before taking on district accounting responsibilities. He later joined the Siaya County Government, serving as Chief Officer for Trade and Industrialisation before moving to the Finance and Economic Planning department as Chief Officer.
His familiarity with Siaya’s financial architecture could prove crucial as the county grapples with the competing demands of service delivery, revenue mobilisation, development expenditure, pending obligations and fiscal accountability.
Pending bills top Okoth’s agenda
During his vetting, Okoth identified pending bills as one of the key financial challenges confronting the county.
He pledged to strengthen financial discipline, improve accountability and ensure prudent management of public resources. He also committed to ensuring timely remittance of statutory deductions and strengthening coordination among county departments in implementing approved budgets.
On delayed development projects, the new CECM proposed stronger monitoring mechanisms and regular reporting to ensure projects are completed within approved timelines.
Those priorities place the new office-holder at the centre of efforts to improve Siaya’s fiscal performance and translate approved budgets into visible development on the ground.
A powerful county docket
The Finance and Economic Planning department is responsible for some of the county government’s most consequential functions, including budgeting, accounting, revenue collection, financial reporting, economic planning and resource mobilisation.
According to the county government, the department also coordinates economic policy and performance monitoring while supporting evidence-based decision-making through research, statistics and economic analysis.
The department’s work is therefore closely linked to the implementation of Siaya’s County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), annual budgets and other development priorities.
The county’s own review documents have previously highlighted improvements in own-source revenue collection, financial reporting, IFMIS utilisation, audit processes and resource mobilisation, underscoring the importance of maintaining and strengthening those gains.
Okoth inherits a department under scrutiny
Okoth’s appointment comes at a time when county governments across Kenya are facing increasing pressure to demonstrate value for money, improve absorption of development funds and maintain fiscal discipline.
For Siaya, expectations will be particularly high.
The new CECM will be expected to balance the county’s development ambitions with available resources, strengthen own-source revenue collection, improve expenditure controls and ensure that approved projects receive funding and are implemented efficiently.
The county’s development framework assigns substantial resources to Finance and Economic Planning, reflecting the department’s strategic importance to the administration’s broader development agenda.
Okoth’s immediate challenge will therefore be to move beyond financial administration and ensure that sound fiscal management translates into tangible improvements in health, roads, water, agriculture, trade and other priority sectors.
From acting leadership to substantive CECM
The appointment also ends a period of transition in the finance department following Omollo’s departure.
Nyingiro had been holding the docket in an acting capacity before Okoth’s appointment. His exit from the acting position gives the department substantive political and administrative leadership at a critical point in the county’s financial planning cycle.
For Governor Orengo’s administration, the appointment represents an opportunity to place an experienced public finance professional at the centre of efforts to strengthen accountability and improve the execution of government programmes.
For Okoth, however, the new assignment comes with a formidable test: turning Siaya’s financial plans into measurable development while restoring confidence in the management of public resources.
The success of his tenure is likely to be judged not merely by the county’s books, but by whether improved financial management results in faster project completion, better revenue performance, fewer pending bills and more reliable delivery of essential services to residents.
