All 47 governors are set to appear before a Senate committee to account for Sh17.24 billion fuel levy cash disbursed to their counties.
The road maintenance fuel levy cash was disbursed in 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years.
The Senate Roads and Transportation Committee has summoned the county chiefs after audit reports flagged usage of the funds by the devolved units.
“The committee hereby invites the chief executive officers of the entities (counties) listed in the schedule to the sittings of the committee to deliberate on the utilisation of the road maintenance levy fund,” Senate clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye said in a notice sent out to the governors.
The nine-member panel is chaired by Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi.
The panel also wants the governors to explain whether the National Treasury involved them in its decision to scrap the fund as a stand-alone grant in the current financial year.
According to the Division of Revenue Bill developed by the Treasury and approved by Parliament, the Treasury put the fund as part of the shareable revenue allocated to the devolved units.
The levy funds are taxes from motorists from fuel purchases at Sh18 per litre of petrol and diesel, distributed by the Kenya Roads Board.
It is shared among the counties and other agencies – Kenya National Highways Authority, the Kenya Rural Roads Authority, The Kenya Urban Roads Authority and the Kenya Wildlife Service to maintain roads.
In 2017-18, the board disbursed Sh8.26 billion to the counties. Some Sh8.98 billion went to the devolved units in 2018-19.
The cash is released to counties as grant.
However, in the current financial year, the Treasury made it part of the Sh370 billion allocated to the counties are shareable revenue.
According to the notice, the governors are scheduled to appear before the panel between August 31 and December 2.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho will be the first county chief to appear on Tuesday next week followed by Bomet’s Hillary Barchok, Nyamira’s Amos Nyaribo, Kisii’s James Ongwae and Busia’s Sospeter Ojaamong.
They will be followed by Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Granton Samboja (Taita Taveta), Wycliffe Wangamati (Bungoma), Stephen Sang (Nandi) and Charity Ngilu (Kitui).
Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo will be the last to defend the expenditures on December 2.
KRB apportions the funds to agencies after providing their yearly plans for road maintenance known as the Annual Public Roads Programme.
The plans are then submitted to the Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary and Treasury for approval before being used as a basis for allocations.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
