• It will bring onboard the Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Eliud Wabukala and Director of Criminal Investigation George Kinoti.
• Others are Attorney General Paul Kihara, Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o and Council of Governors chairman Martin Wambora.
Senators have summoned five state agencies bosses and the leadership of the governor's lobby to discuss the challenges facing devolution.
The meeting will be convened by the Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee, the panel that oversights billions channelled to counties.
It will be held in about two weeks but the date has not been set.
It will bring onboard the Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Eliud Wabukala and DCI boss George Kinoti.
Others are Attorney General Paul Kihara, Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o and Council of Governors chairman Martin Wambora.
Committee chairman Ochillo Ayacko (Migori) said frequent delays by the Treasury to disburse funds to the counties and graft are among the challenges facing devolution.
The meeting will also discuss the seizure of financial documents by the investigative agencies that have hindered the audit process in the counties.
“Some of those issues relate to the EACC that are preventing completion of certain audit issues, like documents under EACC seizure. Others are the recovery of public assets that may have been pilfered by individuals,” Ayacko said.
The EACC and DCI will also give the status of investigations and prosecution of corruption allegations in the counties.
On Monday, Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi complained DCI had seized several accounting documents, thus making the county unable to account for expenditures of millions of shillings.
The Migori senator said they will discuss delays to finalise the assets register for the counties to secure their properties.
Ayacko said that many counties accumulate pending bills every year due to incessant delays by the Treasury to release funds.
He warned the problem could become a full-blown crisis.
Appearing before the committee, several governors have deplored that the delayed release of cash is the cause of the accumulated pending bills.
“When a county ought to have received its share of revenue within a certain framework or time, and the money is not disbursed, the county will be unable to perform,” Ayacko said.
Last month, it was disclosed the devolved units owe suppliers Sh90 billion and the government threatened to deny them funds if they do not clear the bills.
“Government ministries, departments and counties are directed to clear pending bills by June 30,” Yatani directed when he unveiled the Sh3.6 trillion 2021-22 budget estimates in Parliament.
In the just-ended financial year, the Finance Ministry closed the fiscal year with more than Sh20 billion yet to be released to counties.
At one time, the governors threatened to shut down their counties owing to persisted delays to get cash.
“Unfortunately, if the Treasury fails to release the funds, counties will not be able to offer basic services, thereby forcing the suspension of services or total shut down by June 24,” CoG boss Wambora said on June 13.
The meeting will also discuss legislation that needs tweaking to ensure the smooth running of the devolved units.
The meeting comes weeks to the ninth Devolution Conference that will be held in Makueni to take stock of devolution.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris