- Governors and county assembly speakers are set for marathon grilling by senators over damning audit queries by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu
- They appear before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee that has lined-up meetings starting February 1
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Governors and county assembly speakers are set for marathon questioning by senators over audit queries by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu.
They will appear before the Senate Public Accounts Committee that has lined-up meetings starting February 1.
The nine-member panel is chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’.
The committee, deemed the eye of the Senate, oversights the expenditure of billions of shillings of taxpayers’ money in county governments.
Governors and their top finance officials, and the speakers accompanied by their assembly clerks will answer to the queries flagged by the country’s top auditor.
They will respond to audit queries for 2019-20 financial years.
“The Public Accounts Committee hereby informs the chief executive officers of the entities of the sittings of the committee scheduled for the month of February 2023,” a notice by Senate clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye reads.
The Constitution refers to the governor as the executive officer of the county government.
Assembly speakers, on the other hand, are the chairs the county assembly public service boards that approve payments and runs the institutions.
“The committee requires that all County Executives and County Assemblies submit written responses, including supporting documentation to the specific issues in the said report of auditor general,” Nyegenye said.
According to the schedule, Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana will be first to face the panel on February 1, followed by his Kirinyaga counterpart Anne Waiguru the following day.
Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyongó will appear on February 6 before he paves the way for Muthomi Njuki of Tharaka Nithi and Nyeri's Mutahi Kahiga, who will appear on February 7 and 8 respectively.
On February 9, speakers of the county assemblies of Kitui and Kiambu will be questioned.
Governors Stephen Sang (Nandi), Hillary Barchok (Bomet) and Wilber Otichillo (Vihiga) will appear on February 13, 14 and 15 respectively.
Isiolo and Lamu speakers will explain the queries before the panel on February 16 starting 10am.
Governor Amos Nyaribo of Nyamira, Mombasa’s Abdulswamad Shariff and Nakuru’s Susan Kihika will appear before the dreaded panel on February 20, 21 and 22.
They will pave the way for Narok and West Pokot speakers on Thursday, February 23.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Homa Bay’s Gladys Wanga will wrap up the one-month exercise.
After the sessions, the panel will file reports, on their findings.
The reports can indict a governor or their finance officers, if found capable of omissions or financial malpractice.
They can also recommend corrective measures, warn or clear the county chiefs,
Previously, the committee has recommended prosecution of several current and former governors for breach of law and other omission that led to loss of public funds.
However, the reports have largely not been implemented by the relevant state agencies including the EACC and the DCI.
Edited by EKibii