Senators summon Alfred Mutua over Machakos audit queries

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nairobi on August 20, 2019, during the launch of the Strategic Plan 2018-2022 and End of Term Report For the Controller of Budget. PHOTO | KANYIRI WAHITO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The CPAIC issued the summons on Wednesday after the governor gave it a wide berth in a sitting that was to be held in the chambers of the Kitui County Assembly.
  • Dr Mutua further claimed Senator Kabaka mobilised a group of youths to heckle him as he appeared before the committee and paint him as corrupt.
  • Mr Kabaka denied the accusations and told the committee he had nothing to gain from fighting the governor.

A Senate watchdog committee has issued summons to the Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua to respond to audit queries raised by Auditor-General Edward Ouko in the 2017/18 financial year.

The County Public Accounts and Investments Committee (CPAIC) issued the summons on Wednesday after the governor gave it a wide berth in a sitting that was to be held in the chambers of the Kitui County Assembly.

The committee issued the order after Mr Mutua, in a letter to it, accused Machakos Senator Boniface Kabaka of politicising the sitting and expressed doubts about the committee's capacity to accord him a fair hearing.

“Under the circumstances, it is not possible for the committee to have an objective sitting where issues will be adequately clarified," he said in the letter.

"I pray that you find it deserving to schedule the meeting to any other date and possibly in Nairobi."

KABAKA ACCUSED

Dr Mutua further claimed Senator Kabaka mobilised a group of youths to heckle him as he appeared before the committee and paint him as corrupt.

While saying their war is part of the protracted supremacy battles in the region, he asked the Senate to keep off.

The governor further demanded that Mr Kabaka does not sit in the committee when he faces it as that would provide the senator with the "theatre to explore his political wars".

“Mr Kabaka should not be allowed to use an innocent committee sitting to advance personal interests as this obviously amounts to blackmail, arm-twisting and abuse of office,” he said.

COMMITTEE'S RESPONSE

Mr Kabaka denied the accusations and told the committee he had nothing to gain from fighting the governor.

“I have done my research. Whatever I have said about him is backed by solid evidence, mainly from the auditor-general’s reports,” Prof Kabaka said.

The senator also said that in the last four financial years, the county has received disclaimer opinions from the auditor-general.

A disclaimer opinion is delivered by the auditor where there are no financial records to support the money expended by a State agency .

“The problem is that Mr Mutua thinks he is a demigod. He believes he should not be questioned because he has connections in high places. He is a master of PR stunts; he is clever and cunning because he only contemplates theatrics.”

Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina dismissed the letter as a juvenile characterisation of the Senate and accused the governor of failing to account for the public funds the county has received.