The Senate has pinned down Uasin Gishu County Executive led by their Governor Jonathan Chelilim Bii to explain how his executive spend Sh5.5 million on hospitality
Appearing before Homabay Senator Moses Kajwang’ led committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds, the Governor failed to table documents supporting how he spent the monies
“This committee is going to make recommendations to surcharge the county officials for the unsupported amounts. We also want EACC to move with speed to investigate and start prosecuting those capable of the disappearance of the said amount,” Chair Moses Kajwang’ ordered.
Governor had tabled different payments vouchers to support the amounts in question where senators demanded correct payments receipts, how, where and who benefited from the queried amount
“Allowing another payments vouchers to be presented to Auditor General is the same as allowing fraud, this is not admissible neither acceptable,” Busia Senator Okiyah Okoiti Omtatah told the Governor at KICC’s Shimba Hills Boardroom Meeting
Nyandarua Senator John Methu wondered why would the governor want them to believe him, while he failed to provide supporting documents to the Office of Auditor General during the period under review
There was also issue of county vehicles where county executive failed to furnish the Office of Auditor General with the respective logbooks in question arising many questions than answers
However, despite the Uasin Gishu County Secretary Edwin Bett apologising to the committee and promising to table them (logbooks) in the next 7 days, his position and their excuses were not taken lightly
Senators demanded to know where the county executive will get the logbooks within seven days if they had failed to provide them before the Auditor General during the time of auditing
“As senators our work is to make sure the Sh10 billion you receive from exchequre is prudently utilized.
This way of doing things casually won’t be accepted, ” Kajwang’ maintained
“You may get out of this time, but next time, we will make sure someone is held responsible,” Omtatah warned
Kisii Senator Dr Richard Onyonka observed that Eldoret is one of the neighbouring upcoming City and can’t accept resources allocated to including on-source revenue be mismanaged by the greedy county officials
“Please pay attention to these queries, provide documents as required, otherwise you will be fined Sh5 million or be jailed three years or both over this improper management of resources,” Onyonka weighed in.
Of interesting, Governor Bii told the Senate Committee that he was not aware of the 700 cases pending before the auditor general’s office that needs comprehensive answers to secure green light from the controller of budget before the next allocation
However, he declared 42 cases which he’s aware of.
The Auditor General also tabled another impropriety issues where documents revealed that 237 county employees show they shared double or multiple bank account numbers as they received double payments or thrice during the period under review
The senators demanded to know how much was paid to ghost accounts and what are the mechanism put in place to recover the monies
County Executive Committee Member on Finance Micah told the Kajwang’ led committee that they had summoned all employees to appear with them their valid bank account so as to ascertain whose ghost accounts belonged to
However, he pleaded with the committee to give them time to do their own investigations as they suspect majority of those bank accounts belonged to former municipal employees or monies sent to insurances, saccos or microfinances
Earlier, Vigiga Governor Dr Wilberforce Otichillo appeared before the Senate_KE County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, to give responses to the Office of Auditor General_Kenya audit queries on the Amatsi Water Services Company accounts for the Financial Year 2021/2022.