Governors blamed for waste, misuse of Sh300bn
What you need to know:
- Prof Wilfred Lesan, the committee chairman, said reports tabled before the Senate by the Public Investments and the Public Account Committees revealed massive wastage of funds in the devolved units.
- In a report adopted by the assembly yesterday, a new committee, County Funds Oversight Committee replaced the Ward Development Fund committee after an amendment on the assembly’s standing order.
- Procedure and Rules committee chairman and Speaker David Mugo extended the mandate of the Ward Development Fund committee and gave it powers to oversight other county funds.
A Senate committee has accused governors of failing to account for Sh300 billion released to counties for the past three years.
The Senate Devolution Committee on Wednesday said that of the Sh700 billion disbursed to counties since 2013, only Sh400 billion could be accounted for, a statement that is likely to spark fresh wars between senators and governors.
Prof Wilfred Lesan, the committee chairman, said reports tabled before the Senate by the Public Investments and the Public Account Committees revealed massive wastage of funds in the devolved units.
A number of governors have been on the spot for failing to account for development funds, according to reports by the Auditor-General and the Controller of Budget.
“The Devolution Committee, through the Senate, has recommended the handing over of the reports to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission for action,” Prof Lesan who is the Bomet senator told Nation.
He added that due to the wastage, governors should be the last people to complain of shortage of funds in the counties.
Prof Lesan remarks were a response to complaints by governors that funds set aside for counties in the 2016/17 financial year were insufficient.
Council of Governors chairman Peter Munya said: “We have noted with concern a visible trend by the government, through the National Treasury, to re-centralize resource allocation meant to be allocated for county governments.”
Prof Lesan accused governors of failing to manage funds and resorting to spending sprees against the law.
The senator said county assemblies were also to blame for the waste and misuse of funds as most were inefficient in their oversight role.
Meanwhile in Nyeri, MCAs formed a committee to oversight various funds established by the county government to ensure their proper implementation.
In a report adopted by the assembly yesterday, a new committee, County Funds Oversight Committee replaced the Ward Development Fund committee after an amendment on the assembly’s standing order.
Procedure and Rules committee chairman and Speaker David Mugo extended the mandate of the Ward Development Fund committee and gave it powers to oversight other county funds.
This is after county executives’ accused the committee of working outside its mandate in requesting for progress reports over Sh180 million allocated to the ward development fund.
The executives had defied three invitations and summon in a letter noting that the projects were in different phases of implementation.
They had also failed to attach any supporting documents. The amendments were also prompted by the creation of various funds by the county government among them women enterprise, youth enterprise and persons living with disability funds.
