A Senate Committee has said stern action will be taken against Bomet finance officers who illegally authorised the release of Sh8.8 million to the council of governors.
The money, according to the Auditor General, was "ostensibly made to help the Council meet some of its operational expenses."
This is, however, in contravention of the law which states that such costs should only be met by the national government.
The payment is contained in a report for the executive for the year ending June 2020.
The County Public Accounts Committee chaired by Moses Kajwang said particular finance officers will also be surcharged the funds.
"Until the law is changed any payment to CoG is illegal. We are going to apply the previously adopted mechanism on this where the respective finance officers are surcharged the money," Kajwang said.
In his submission, Governor Hillary Barchok while appearing before the Committee argued the payments were made on the strength of the minutes by the CoG to support the annual devolution conference.
"After the issues were raised on the legality of these payments, no further payments were made from then to date to the council of governors except for the annual devolution conference," he said.
In the 2018/19 report, Bomet was also said to have remitted another Sh5 million to the council.
Some three other counties-Samburu (Sh5.6 million), Baringo (Sh5.1 million) and Nyandarua (Sh6 million) were also cited in the report.
According to the Intergovernmental Relations Act, the operational costs of CoG must be met by the national government through the Ministry of Devolution and Planning.
Barchok was further taken to task over Sh12 million paid in advance to various fuel suppliers during the same period.
The payments, the Auditor General, said were made contrary to Section 146 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015.
The Act provides that contracts for works, goods or services can only be paid for after they are executed and approved by the accounting officer.
"The tender documents, supply contracts, fuel registers, detailed orders and work tickets were not provided for audit hence the use of the fuel could not be confirmed," the report read.
