Kamidi says the speaker was given an imprest of Sh1 million in cash
Vihiga county assembly speaker Dan Chitwah has been suspended over county funds to finance his honeymoon. An 11-member committee has been formed to investigate his conduct and a wide range of wrongdoing.
The assembly debated Chitwah’s conduct on Thursday, where 34 out of 39 MCAs supported the probe.
The motion was tabled by nominated MCA Nathan Kamidi. The allegations levied against the speaker include labeling himself the ANC chairman in Vihiga.
Kamidi said the speaker was given an imprest of Sh1 million in cash, withdrawn from the county assembly to facilitate his wedding and he has not yet surrendered the imprest todate.
“The speaker traveled to Sychelles for his honeymoon and it is alleged the cost of the trip was Sh850,000, which was invoiced to the Vihiga county assembly,” he said.
Kamidi said the speaker uses the official vehicle for non-official duties, incurring double expenditure to the assembly.
“The vehicle is misused, even when the speaker is flying, the vehicle follows him by road, in an entourage facilitated by the assembly,” he said.
Kamidi said the speaker assigns an external lawyer to represent the assembly, yet it has its legal team.
Chitwah is also accused of spending huge sums on his personal security, although several APs are paid to guard his home. The speaker is also accused of nepotism, favouring his relatives in landing jobs at the assembly.
Kamidi said the speaker, who is the County Assembly Service Board chairman, has not tabled the board’s quarterly report as stipulated by the law.
However, through a message to the press, Chitwah said: “Can the assembly suspend a speaker?.. I am a lawyer and I doubt whether there is such a provision in law, but nontheless the MCAs have every democratic right to discuss what they are doing. As a leader you must expect anything, especially in an institution where everything is politics.” The message further read: “In life you must accept change, unless you are static. I have been convicted already and therefore let’s see what follows.”The committee will start sittings on April 25.
The assembly approved that any member of the public with any complain against the speaker is invited to the committee. Central Maragoli MCA Abdallah Chogo said it’s necessary to probe the speaker to learn why the assembly had to pay for his personal commitments. But Chitwah said Chogo has “a big mouth”. He said as speaker, he is entitled to certain privileges.
SPEAKER SAYS HE IS ‘ENTITLED TO PRIVILEGES’
Vihiga speaker Dan Chitwah’s honeymoon is haunting him, after it emerged the county assembly funded the “lovebirds”.
In January, Central Maragoli MCA Abdallah Chogo said Chitwah should step aside for investigations. He said the speaker is unfit to hold office for allegedly using county assembly money to fund his wedding and a two-day honeymoon to the Seychelles last April. Chogo said: “An invoice seeking payment for air tickets to the Seychelles and hotel booking totaling Sh1.2 million for the speaker and the wife is the cause for alarm.” He said: “Why was the assembly’s money used on the speaker’s honeymoon in the Seychelles?” The invoice from African Hartebeest Safaris was forwarded to the assembly clerk last April 27. It said Sh805,028 for air tickets and $3,450 (Sh352,898) for accommodation was to be paid by the assembly “on behalf of the newly wed lovebirds”.