Factors Influencing Performance of Internal Auditors in County Governments in Kenya

Authors

  • Kagali Francis Lumasei Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
  • Prof. Willy Mwangi Muturi Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Abstract

Despite all county governments having an internal audit unit, a large number of them are still exposed to risks and therefore achievement of their objectives is hampered. This research project aimed to establish the factors which influence the performance of internal audit units in county governments anchored on four specific objectives: To establish the influence of an independent audit committee on internal auditors performance, to investigate the influence of to the auditors competence on performance, to assess the influence of top management support on internal auditors performance, to evaluate the influence of availability of financial resources on performance of internal audit unit. The research was a survey of auditors across the 47 counties in Kenya. Descriptive statistics determined the relationship between the variables and regression analysis established the extent and the significance of the relationship. The study concluded that audit committee independence, affiliation to professional bodies, top management support and availability of resources had a significant effect on performance of internal auditors in County Governments. The study recommends that top management in the County Governments should adopt effective internal audit practices including independence of audit committee, professional competency, and allocation of adequate financial resources to enhance performance of internal auditors in the County Governments.

Keywords: Independent audit committee, competence, top management support, financial resources and performance

Author Biographies

Kagali Francis Lumasei, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

MBA, Finance Student, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Prof. Willy Mwangi Muturi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Lecturer, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

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Published

2019-11-28

How to Cite

Lumasei, K. F., & Muturi, P. W. M. (2019). Factors Influencing Performance of Internal Auditors in County Governments in Kenya. Journal of Finance and Accounting, 3(4), 49–56. Retrieved from https://stratfordjournals.org/journals/index.php/journal-of-accounting/article/view/389

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