Members of the Kisii County Assembly on Saturday fought back claims of passing an illegal Finance Bill.
They vehemently defended the Sh12 billion Budgets and Appropriations Finance Bill 2022/2023 which they okayed into law on June 16.
The bill has since attracted the attention of interior CS Fred Matiang'i who on Friday ordered a probe into the matter on suspicion there is a plot by the Ward Reps to steal public money.
While speaking in Nyaura in Nyaribari Chache on Friday, Matiang'i faulted the Ward Reps for passing the bill at night.
He was particularly incensed that some police officers were deployed to provide security as they 'deliberated on the illegal Bill at 9. 00 pm.
"Personally, I want to know all those officers and who deployed them. We can't stand back and leave public wealth get misused in a manner so careless as this. We will deal with all those involved, " he warned.
He said he had already tasked the County Commissioner Allan Machari and detectives in the County to bring to light what transpired at the Assembly.
"I expect that they will do so quickly and hand over the report to me as a matter of urgency," he said.
He was reacting to Dagoreti North MP Simba Arati's request that the assembly be probed as matter of urgency to stop planned possible finance wastage.
Arati had said he had smelled a rat in the timing and hasty manner the bill was 'suspiciously passed'.
On Saturday, however, the Ward Reps led by Majority leader Timothy Ogugu and Kiogoro MCA Samuel Apoko said there was nothing wrong in passing the said finance bill.
"The budget was passed during the last day of the Assembly's calendar. It was not passed at night, everything occurred in the broad day light. We suspect the vendetta against the assembly emanates from those who did not attend the session," said Ogugu.
He said those who met to okay the bill were in their right mind.
"There is absolutely no illegality committed whatsoever. And those lamenting outside should know assemblies are independent institutions and are mandated to pass laws from time to time," he added.
Nominated Ward Rep Callen Magara said the Assembly was doing its duty when the bill was passed and signed by Governor James Ongwae.
"It is the cardinal duty of the assembly to carry such work, passing bills and oversight. Who picked Matiang'i to oversight us?" she posed.
She said the CS was overstepping his mandate by saying he is going to jail them.
"It is completely out of order for the CS to go to a public baraza and begin discussing us there. He should tell us what procedures were not followed rather than lecturing us in public forums," she said
