Audit queries: CoG asks for virtual meeting with Senate

The council of governors has written to the Senate asking for a virtual meeting to respond to audit queries.

Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya in a letter addressed to the Speaker Ken Lusaka said the virtual meetings will go a long way in preventing infection of the Coronavirus through physical meetings.

Several governors have been scheduled to appear before the Senate's Committee of County Public Accounts and Investment to respond to audit queries between 2015 and 2018 financial years.

The meetings are scheduled on a daily basis from Monday to Friday at 10 am.

But Oparanya said by allowing the county chiefs to travel to Nairobi to respond to queries is putting their lives at great risk of contracting the virus that has so far left over 16, 000 people infected and 278 dead across the country.

"It is key to note that most governors fall under the age bracket of 58 years and above which the ministry advises to avoid physical meetings due to high risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe illness," Oparanya said.

Oparanya said the meeting with Senators comes at a time when the country is fighting the pandemic.

He said the Ministry has given measures which include social distance to contain the spread of the virus.

"In line with these measures, the council has advised all its members to avoid physical appearance given the escalating numbers of confirmed cases," he said.

Oparanya said the council has proposed that the Senate adopts the use of alternatives like the virtual meetings which have been adopted by other organs of government including Judiciary among others.

"The council notes that the National Assembly Speaker has provided guidelines to allow the continuation of work when observing the measures put in place by the ministry of health. As such the council proposes that the Senate provides such guidelines to allow continued operations while protecting our members during engagements during this pandemic," he said.

Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, his Narok counterpart Samuel Ole Tunai and Siaya's Cornel Rasanga are among the governors who have a date with the Senate.

Others include Migori's Okoth Obado, Homa Bay's Cyprian Awiti and Kisii's James Ongwae.