Granton Samboja tells contractors to sue after refusing to pay them millions

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja has said the county will not pay pending bills nearing a billion for lack of documentary evidence.

The county boss asked the aggrieved contractors and suppliers to seek legal redress.

The governor said he will only pay Sh21.5 million pending bills that have documentary evidence. 

He said that the contractors and suppliers who claim that the county owes them money have failed to forward documents in support of theirs claims to enable his administration process their payment.

“If they were given time by the committee to bring forward their documents but failed to do so then it means that the bills have been paid. Any aggrieved party can challenge us in court,” said Mr Samboja.

But the governor urged suppliers and contractors to visit various departments where they offered their services armed with supporting documents to confirm the status of their claims. 

VARYING REPORTS   

Mr Samboja was speaking after he received a report from the Pending Bills Audit Committee that was set up to audit inherited debt after two other teams tasked with the same produced conflicting findings.

The Assumption of Office Committee said in its report that the pending bills were Sh724million while a task force formed by the governor after assuming office revealed that the amount was Sh978milliom.

The audit committee chairman Leonard Kalama said vouchers and support documents presented for scrutiny confirmed that the county has Sh919m pending bills.

“A total of Sh21.5 million qualify to be paid immediately. The rest will be paid subject to provision of the missing documents. 

Mr Kalama said Sh85 million had already been paid out before the committee was formed.

REPORT

Following this revelation, Mr Samboja vowed to crack the whip by going after culprits adversely mentioned in looting of public coffers.

“We will forward the taskforce report and the pending bills audit committee reports to the relevant government agencies for perusal, advise and possible actions including prosecution,” he said  

The county boss blamed financial impropriety in the counties on poor policy, regulations and weak systems that provides avenues for looting of public funds. 

Mr Samboja said he will shake up the county by effecting changes within his administration so as to guarantee public confidence.

The legislative arm of the county has vowed to put up measures to ensure documents do not disappear in the departments in bid to promote accountability and transparency.

“We want to make some follow up on the procurement department since their action can give birth to cartels in the devolved unit,” said the County Assembly Majority Leader Jason Tuja.​