Senate team summons governors over audit reports

What you need to know:

  • Summons are usually issued by a House committee to someone who fails to appear after being invited more than twice.

A senate committee has urgently called Murang'a Governor Mwangi wa Iria and his Samburu counterpart Moses LenolKulal after failing to appear before the team to respond to audit queries raised from their counties' financial reports.

The members of the Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee said it was wrong for the county bosses to ignore invites to account for how they spent public funds.

The Murang’a governor was expected on Thursday at 8am and was to be followed by Mr LenolKulal at 11am at Parliament Buildings.

This compelled committee members to slap them with summons to present themselves within two weeks.

Summons are usually issued by a House committee to someone who fails to appear after being invited more than twice.

Committee Chairman Anyang’ Nyong’o said if the county bosses disregard the renewed call legal action will be taken against them.

"Murang'a County was expected to appear before us today but a county finance officer sent us a letter at 6pm on Wednesday saying they needed more time to prepare. This is unacceptable because they had more than a month to prepare. We have no alternative but to issue summons for their appearance. Failure to honour them will attract necessary legal action,” said Prof Nyong’o.

Senators said the two had intentionally skipped the sittings yet invites had been sent to them in time.

“It is disheartening to hear that the governor is requesting for more time to prepare his response when we know that these queries were raised almost two years ago. We should summon them as soon as possible,” said Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi.

This is the second time Governor wa Iria has snubbed an invite from the same committee, the first incident happened two years ago. However, he later appeared and apologised.

The Council of Governors has also told its members ignore invites by the committee until they are assured of their security following a scuffle between Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and Senator Mike Sonko.

The two engaged in a brawl two weeks ago when the governor appeared before the committee to respond to the county’s audit queries.

However, Dr Kidero defied the Council on Wednesday and appeared to respond to the queries in the absence of Mr Sonko.

Editing by Philip Momanyi