- Mbarire was last week sworn in as the second governor and the first woman governor in a ceremony presided over by Justice Mary Kasango and magistrate Douglas Ogoti.
- The new county chief said her administration will provide sustainable healthcare to the residents.
Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire has said she will need to audit the Sh2.2 billion pending bills before they are paid.
Mbarire said the pending bills amount to much more than the budget allocated for development in the county for a single year.
The county chief also termed the pending bills as among the main challenges she will face head-on in her administration.
Mbarire was last week sworn in as the second governor and the first woman governor in a ceremony presided over by Justice Mary Kasango and magistrate Douglas Ogoti.
"I promise that my government will get to the bottom of all the pending bills to ascertain their legality to determine whether they are payable or not," she said.
'This will necessitate the carrying out of forensic audit and where necessary legal measures will be carried out to assist in findings of the audit."
While giving her speech during the swearing-in ceremony, Mbarire expressed her gratitude toward the electorate, promising to change the county's fortunes for the better.
The governor said the health sector is the most immediate challenge for every leader within the county, and urged the elected leaders in various positions to keep their word to residents.
Mbarire said her administration will provide sustainable healthcare to the residents.
Mbarire said her administration will initiate local solutions through well-managed human resources and ensure sustained provision of pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical supplies to health facilities.
"To our MCAs... I believe you have all interacted with residents on matters of health and you know what is at stake. I urge you to support me through the allocation of a bigger share in the health department," the county chief said.
The outgoing Governor Martin Wambora missed the event due to an unidentified reason.
In April the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu said nationally, all counties had pending bills amounting to more than Sh128.94 billion.
Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o said the ballooning debt is a crisis and a ticking time bomb that requires immediate action.
“The Controller of Budget advises county governments to prioritise pending bills as a first charge in the 2021-22 budget before embarking on new financial commitments,” Nyakang’o said in the report.
Regulation 41 (2) of the Public Finance Management (County Governments) 2015 states that, “debt service payments shall be a first charge on the County Revenue Fund."
The provision requires accounting officers to ensure the payments are done to the extent possible that the counties do not default on debt obligations.
Shockingly, the debts have continued to swell despite President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive that all the national and county government agencies to clear the debt.
Last year, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani threatened to withhold funds to counties and national government agencies that do not settle their bills.
(edited by Amol Awuor)