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Governor Mohamud alleged to a plot by the CS to politically frustrate his administration ostensibly, to score political goals.
- Yatani, the pioneer Marsabit governor, lost to Mohamud in 2017 before he was appointed to the Cabinet by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Image: FREDRICK OMONDI
The Council of Governors has protested the inordinate delays by the National Treasury to release Sh1.85 billion to Marsabit county.
The delays could expose bitter political rivalry between Treasury CS Ukur Yatani and Governor Mohamud Ali.
In the stern letter to Yatani, CoG chairman Martin Wambora (Embu) complained that Marsabit is the only county yet to receive allocation for three months, affecting its operations including payment of salaries.
"So far, the county has not received its allocation for the month of April, May and June, despite 46 out of 47 counties receiving their April allocations.
"Some 31 counties have also received May allocations in the most recent disbursements," Wambora said in the letter dated June 17.
The letter is copied to Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o and Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka.
Wambora said the county faces an acute cash crunch and can no longer pay its staff or deliver crucial services including health.
"Marsabit has depleted their cash balances in their county revenue fund account at the Central Bank of Kenya and have no money to run county operations.
"This has left the county in a dire situation of not being able to pay salaries, suppliers or even continue offering essential services to citizens," the letter said.
Wambora said county workers have already issued a strike notice.
"This has essentially brought the county operations to a complete halt," the letter reads.
Sources at the CoG intimated to the Star that Wambora's letter to Yatani follows a petition by Governor Mohamud.
The petition alleged a plot by the CS to politically frustrate Mohamud's administration ostensibly, to score political goals at the time the country is just about to hold the general election.
Yatani and Mohamud are bitter political rivals in Marsabit.
Yatani, the pioneer Marsabit governor, lost to Mohamud in 2017 before he was appointed to the Cabinet by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The CS is in charge of the Treasury docket which holds the country's purse.
The rivalry between the two has manifested itself in the upcoming polls with Yatani's party, UPIA, sponsoring a candidate to unseat Mohamud who is seeking to defend his seat on a UDM ticket.
Yatani was initially expected to resign and contest for governor but he opted to stick with Uhuru in the National government.
He's among the bigwigs said to be eyeing top positions in the next government, if Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga wins.
Wambora asked the CS to urgently disburse the cash to save the county from sinking further.
"The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to ask you to urgently expedite the disbursement of the arrears owed to Marsabit county, amounting to Sh1.85 billion.
"This being equitable share allocations for the months of April, May and June, to enable the county resume operations.
As at Tuesday last week, the Treasury was yet to release Sh70 billion to all 47 counties, with only days to the end of the financial year.
Most counties were to receive May and June disbursements.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)