The agitation by governors is sheer blackmail

The latest clamour for a referendum by the Council of Governors to push for more budgetary allocation is quite insincere and amounts to blackmailing the National Government.

Going by the report of the Auditor-General on how these 47 county governments have been managing finances, one wonders why these county leaders want 45 per cent allocations, yet they have misused the funds already received in the previous budgetary allocations. Could it be another plot to inflate the loot?

During the last general elections, several candidates could not contest for gubernatorial positions since these positions were reserved for the elite of society, managers and respected CEOs under whose watch county revenues would be safe and accountability assured.

READ: MIGORI - MCAs, staff paid Sh4.8 million illegally: Auditor

READ: BOMET: Ruto told to explain huge revenue drop

READ: Auditor says Sh150m used illegally

Devolution was a blessing and having competent CEOs to manage county affairs was a double gift for Kenyans. However, the style of squander associated with the old local authorities has been reborn in these county governments.

MONEY NOT BANKED

Auditor-General Edward Ouko’s report on county financial operations points out huge loopholes existing in counties across the nation where ghost workers are taking hefty pay monthly, revenue collection cycles are disrupted, and large amounts of money not banked after being collected, assets accounted for and many other ridiculous financial blunders that ought to have been cleared first before these demands for more money started.

In Kiambu County, for example, the report reveals the existence of 10 employees recruited when they were under-age. This is part of the reason why the county governments want more cash.

Do they want more cash to continue paying for goods yet to be delivered and services yet to be rendered like the Sh37,958,378 that the Uasin Gishu County government allegedly paid for the supply of furniture and computers and another Sh3,540,378 to a construction company to fence a public utility at Kapsoya without either bills of quantities (BQs) or contracts? The report adds that as at the time of audit in August, 2013, the fencing had not been done.

HOTEL ON SCHOOL PLAYGROUND

There are millions paid for shoddy or no work done at all. In Nairobi County, there are huge payments being made for legal services, most of which are non-existent.

The report points out that one lawyer who at the time did not possess a practicing certificate was claiming a decretal amount of Sh3,151,700 on behalf of his client as claims for loss of property purportedly for the construction of a four star hotel. It later emerged that the proposed construction was on a City Primary School playground.

The CCN lawyer claimed Sh68,876,169 out of which Sh10,000,000 was paid despite withdrawal of, it appears, have been made to recover the amount irregularly paid. Absurd, isn’t it?

Kenya is hardly going to get any better with this leadership of demands through blackmail. First it was dialogue or else .... Now the governors, having realised they must threaten to be heard, say they will support the referendum. I foresee it being used as blackmail by many players.

Mr Okoth, a trained journalist works at a local bank as a communications officer. @Edwincowino