The Senate has warned governors against skipping summons over the 2017-2018 financial year audit queries.
The Senate Public Accounts Committee has said county chiefs with audit queries on the utilisation of public funds must appear before it and clarify how they spent the money.
PAC chairman Moses Kajwang' and senators Ochillo Ayacko (Migori) and James Orengo (Siaya) said failure to obey their summons would be tantamount to breaching the law.
“Honour the summons and exonerate yourselves from the blame, otherwise nobody will believe you. It’s also a way of attracting the consequences in Section 19 of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act,” Kajwang’ said.
Speaking on Saturday during a fundraiser at Wakula Secondary School in Mfang’ano Island in Suba North, Kajwang told the Council of Governors to stop meddling with Senate PAC affairs.
The CoG through chairman Wycliffe Oparanya had told its members to boycott the summons over claims that the report from the Office of the Auditor General had several errors.
The Kakamega governor said they do not own mistakes that their counties spend funds in some activities undertaken by the national government.
Oparanya wants investigative authorities to establish the truth behind the errors in the financial reports.
“Treasury has admitted that the budget execution reports for the counties in question had erroneous descriptions,” Oparanya said.
Some of the counties being investigated are Kakamega, Kwale, Lamu, Nyamira and Samburu.
But on Saturday, Kajwang’ said the argument by CoG will not deter Senate PAC from undertaking its oversight role on how public funds are utilized.
“The CoG is a stranger to how public funds are spent because the Constitution doesn’t allow governors to get involved in supervisory of funds in the counties,” he said.
The Homa Bay senator challenged governors to avoid asking them to increase budget allocations if they undermine their work.
“The CoG should have a stand because it’s the same senators who approve their budget appropriations. The Senate has the authority to question them on how they utilize public funds,” he said
Governors Okoth Obado (Migori) and Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay) are expected before senate PAC is Cyprian Awiti from Homa Bay today and tomorrow respectively.
Governor James Ongwae (Kisii) will appear on Wednesday, while Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga)is expected to appear on Friday.
“The governors should not fear responding to the audit queries in their respective counties. In fact, they should take advantage of the opportunity to restore public confidence on they spend resources,” Kajwang’ said.
Ayacko and Orengo called for a lifestyle audit on governors and county officials.
“The lifestyle audit will ensure wise expenditure of public funds in the devolved government,” Ayacko said.
