Trouble is brewing in the Bungoma County Revenue Department, where an automated management system intended to modernise and streamline the county’s revenue collection is now a focal point for corruption, inefficiency, and dishonesty.
On May 14, 2024, the Chief Officer of Finance and Economic Planning received a letter, along with copies to the Governor and the County Secretary, requesting detailed information about the development and management of BARMS.
The letter requested evidence of the tender process, including advertisements, tender documents, evaluation team details, and the BARMS contract award.

This information is crucial for understanding how the system was procured and whether the process adhered to proper procedures.
As of now, the Governor has not addressed these questions publicly, and the Chief Officer, who received the follow-up on July 15, 2024, is reportedly missing.
In 2015, the county invested Ksh 160 million in BARMS development, with an annual maintenance cost of Ksh 49 million. However, reports indicate that the system is not fully operational.

They never created critical modules like the finance module.
Reports of missing system servers and a lack of backup in BARMS prevent historical transactions from being verified.
Over 6,000 land-rate property clients remain on the outdated Local Authority Information Finance Management System (LAIFMS), while only 500 clients are on BARMS.
This creates a loophole for revenue collection officers, possibly exploiting the outdated system for personal gain.
The open-ended nature of transactions within BARMS allows for manipulation.
For instance, it’s reportedly possible to issue multiple permits or licenses with a single Mpesa transaction.
There appears to be a lack of effective oversight and accountability under the leadership of Chief Officer Robert Juma Simiyu and CECM Chrispinus Barasa.
The county does not have a patent or copyright for BARMS, which limits their control over the system.
Questions have arisen about who outside the county holds these rights and how they influence Bungoma’s financial management.
The lack of response from the Chief Officer, CECM, County Secretary, and Governor Lusaka is fueling suspicion that they may be complicit in the corruption.
Governor Lusaka of Bungoma County recently addressed the issue of corruption within his finance department, claiming that he is making efforts to tackle the problem but has yet to provide any substantive responses to the pressing questions raised about the BARMS system.