Siaya governor James Orengo’s decision to institute a taskforce to audit financial systems over suspected graft in the administration of his predecessor Cornel Rasanga has heavily been criticized.
Fred Ogola of Strathmore Business School said that Orengo is wasting valuable resources and time on a taskforce to do a job that he was supposed to have done as a senator.
“A senator should check the governor. Did he raise any point that is on record about how money was misused when he was senator?” Ogola posed.
Governor Orengo was the senator of Siaya between 2013 and 2022; a seat he only vacated to become governor.
Governor Orengo recently formed a seven-member taskforce led by retired auditor general Edward Ouko to audit financial and human resource systems of the county in the last two financial years.
The taskforce was given 60 days to table a report.
Ogola challenged the governor to live up to his manifesto instead of hoodwinking the public to focus on a taskforce that will not put food on the table.
He said that Orengo cannot investigate the leadership of his Rasanga, as he purports because they are “bosom buddy.”
Orengo’s decision to form a taskforce, the academician underscored, is a delay tactic which was commonplace during the autocracy of the late president Daniel Arap Moi.
The taskforce will not bring medicine to hospitals, put food on the table, improve education or do anything, he said.
“They are delay tactics of (former president) Moi of setting up commissions to investigate commissions. They put us in a vicious cycle whereby there is crime but culprits are not found.”
The don, who unsuccessfully vied for the Ugenya parliamentary seat in an ODM party ticket, said that he has volunteered himself as the Shadow Super Senator to put devolution in check.
He said that his role will be to visit every county and check governance of those devolved units and ensure that they are delivering services to the people.
Ogola observed that governor Orengo was elected with a manifesto and that it is high time he implemented it.
During the electioneering period, Orengo promised to do particular things within 100 days in office.
The professor wants him to focus on those because he has less than 65 days left to do so.
The promises included provision of essential drugs in all health facilities, improving drainage, lighting and hygiene infrastructure in all markets and manning all beaches using safety and patrol boats.
Orengo promised to provide a CGS tractor for subsidized land preparation in every sub county, feeding program in 700 public ECDs, and the Gorvernor’s Full Scholarship for two students per ward.
Part of the 100-days promise was to avail water harvesting infrastructure to five families per ward, and cascading of Agricultural extension officers to ward level.
The governor also promised to develop a world class public service delivery charter with attention to efficiency, impact, hospitality and ownership.
Ogola, who is also a Luo elder in Ugenya, condemned the pattern of voting for ODM-only candidates; saying that it is another reason devolution has not helped the residents of Siaya county.
Siaya county has not benefitted from devolution despite receiving about Sh50 billion in the past 5 years alone, he noted.
Ogola asserted that this is so because the then senator (Orengo), the former governor (Rasanga) and majority of MCAs in the county assembly belonged to the same political party (ODM).
“If you belong to the same political party, it becomes so difficult to be the critical voice; even in the county assembly.”
Ogola was speaking in Ukwala, Siaya county, during a graduation ceremony at Matibabu Foundation College of Health Sciences.
Sixty students qualified with diploma in clinical medicine and certificate in theatre technology.
Governor Orengo's communication aide Victor Marende could not put the Star through to the governor when approached to respond to Ogola's criticism.
Marende however said that Orengo will be able to react to the same on Tuesday October 11 during an address before the county assembly of Siaya.
But speaking on Tuesday last week during the inauguration of the taskforce, Orengo said that his motivation to audit the financial systems was due to the deplorable state of the same.
"... we found the state of finances of Siaya county deplorable, both in terms of financial management and fiscal reporting," Orengo said.
Ouko's team has an opportunity to investigate anyone because nobody is above the law, Orengo said.
Orengo praised the taskforce members saying that they are individuals of high integrity and so, will not be compromised.
Ouko said that he will use his global audit experience to steer the team into espousing what Article 10 of the Constitution 2010 expects of leaders on good governance, namely; transparency, accountability and public participation.
