Governors also misuse public funds on foreign trips, say MCAs
Auditor General Edward Ouko appears before the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament on August 13, 2015. MCAs have said the Auditor-General and Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo unfairly target them over misuse of public funds through unnecessary foreign trips. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
MCAs cited a report the ministry of Foreign Affairs released last week implicating governors in the misuse of billions of public funds on unjustified trips.
In the report, 10 governors, including those from counties that do not produce oil, travelled abroad to attend oil and gas seminars.
Both Ms Odhiambo and Mr Ouko have however defended their reports saying they touched on misuse of funds in both the executive and legislative arms of county governments.
MCAs have accused Auditor-General Edward Ouko and Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo of unfairly targeting them in their investigations into foreign trips.
County Assemblies Forum secretary-general Albert Kochei cited a report the ministry of Foreign Affairs released last week implicating governors in the misuse of billions of public funds on unjustified trips.
In the report, 10 governors, including those from counties that do not produce oil, travelled abroad to attend oil and gas seminars.
Others gave contrasting venues of Mozambique and Australia for the oil and gas conference.
“Everybody was talking about county assemblies. However, governors have now been smoked out. The report vindicates county assemblies” Mr Kochei told the Nation on Sunday.
Both Ms Odhiambo and Mr Ouko have however defended their reports saying they touched on misuse of funds in both the executive and legislative arms of county governments.
AUSTERITY MEASURES
Mr Kochei said the revelations indicated that assemblies had complied with austerity measures on foreign trips, unlike the county chiefs, a statement likely to rekindle turf-wars between MCAs and governors.
Governors implicated in the report are Amason Kingi (Kilifi), Joseph Ndathi (Kirinyaga), Ukur Yatani (Marsabit), Moses Lolenkulai (Samburu), John Mrutu (Taita-Taveta), Hussein Dado (Tana River), Cleophas Lagat (Nandi) and Turkana’s Josphat Nanok.
Governors and MCAs have been at loggerheads over the rave for both foreign and local trips.
The county bosses have led the onslaught accusing the ward representatives of overspending on foreign travels.
MCAs have also been on the receiving end as both Mr Ouko and Ms Odhiambo have accused them of wasting tax payers’ money on the trips.
For instance, a report by Ms Odhiambo indicated that the 47 counties spent a total Sh1.95 billion on trips in three months last year.
Mr Kochei defended MCAs against what he called a sustained campaign to portray them as those who are spending tax payers’ money on trips.
This, he said, was an unlikely scenario in Parliament which he accused of failing to lead the war against unnecessary travels leading to misuse of millions of public funds.
“We have all agreed that austerity measures must be observed by assemblies. County assemblies are in compliant and that is why we are not travelling as much. The National Assembly and the Senate should follow suit,” said Mr Kochei.
