There’s no corruption here, Wajir County government says

Wajir County government has denied claims that corruption has hit the devolved unit.

Through its Director of Communications Ahmed Abdi Hussein, the county government termed the recent claims of corruption by Senator Abdullahi Ali as unsubstantiated and far-fetched.

The senator had raised concern over huge pending bills, misuse of emergency funds, poor service delivery and runaway corruption in the county.

Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Gedi and nominated Senator Farhiya Haji have also complained over what they say are cases of corruption and failure by the county to settle pending bills.

UNCALLED FOR

But Mr Hussein, in a statement on Thursday, said the remarks by the senator created unnecessary tension and hatred among the residents, adding that they were uncalled-for.

He said that the true position of the pending bills is captured in the 2018/2019 financial statement.

The county, he said, reported a cumulative sum of Sh2.7 billion as pending bills by the end of June 2018 following a directive by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary to the office of the Auditor-General to undertake a special audit of pending bills.

A special audit firm was appointed by the Auditor-General to verify the county’s pending bills with a view to determining whether they were genuine.

REPORT SUBMITTED

Mr Hussein stated that the firm has since submitted its report indicating the eligible and ineligible bills.

He added that the Wajir County Pending Bills Committee, which was formed to analyse, evaluate and give recommendations, has completed its investigations and will soon deliver its report to the Controller of Budget.

Mr Hussein further said that the county had since paid Sh2 billion of the eligible bills and has presented to the National Treasury CS a phased plan on how to clear the remaining balance of Sh344 million within the next five months.

PENDING BILLS STATUS

He added that the county assembly had also established an ad hoc committee to verify the status of the pending bills before approval and appropriation.

Mr Hussein also said that the county used the emergency fund in the 2017/2018 financial year to mitigate against drought and disease outbreaks. He also dened claims by the Wajir leaders that the funds had been misused.

"We therefore appeal to the county leaders and residents to desist from propaganda and hearsay which can be an impediment to our progress," he said.

On Wednesday, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani named Wajir among the nine counties that had presented clear, acceptable, eligible pending bills payment plans.

Other counties are Nandi, Murang’a, Kakamega, Tharaka-Nithi, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisii and Taita-Taveta.