Senate grills Kajiado Governor David Nkedianye over audit queries on allowances

Kajiado County officials led by the County Governor Dr David Nkedianye (left) when they appeared before Senate at Parliament Buildings. [PHOTO: MOSES OMUSULA/STANDARD]

Senators have censured the Kajiado County government over the payment of Sh390,000 in sitting allowance to county committee members from the emergency kitty.

The lawmakers also queried the doubled payment for hotel services of Sh500,000 as documented in Auditor General Edward Ouko’s audit report. They directed that the over-payment be recovered.

Ouko’s report had noted that the county executives withdrew Sh565,000, of which Sh390,000 was used to pay allowances, while Sh120,000 went to the construction of a borehole. However, Sh55,000 was unaccounted for.

Yesterday, Governor David Nkedianye appeared before the Public Accounts and Investment Committee to shed light on the audit queries. However, he denied being in breach of regulations in appropriating the funds.

He maintained that the expenditure was in accordance with law. He said in the case of hotel services, it was an error he had acted on.

“We have recognised the error and we have since instructed the hotel management to deduct it from the Sh3.5 million debt we have,” said Dr Nkedianye.

He also told committee members that the emergency fund expenditure in question was used to repair water bowsers   following a prolonged drought. “Kajiado is quite vast and experiences drought. Water companies are unable to raise funds for their operations since they generate capital from the sale of the commodity. The county government is therefore forced to step in,” the governor said.

He continued: “The emergency fund committee is under the Deputy Governor and is composed of members of the executive. The Sh390,000 is cumulative of nine sittings held in one year. We used the finance regulations by the assembly to guide the use of resources.” But according to the auditor, “The emergency fund expenditure indicate that there were other expenses which ought to have been paid under other line items and not the fund, such as payment of sitting allowances and repair of boreholes totalling Sh3.5million.”

Ouko said in the report that the emergency fund was to enable payment  when there an urgent and unforeseen need for expenditure for which there is no specific legislative authority. In this case, Ouko cited breach of the Public Finance and Management Act.

Committee chairman Boni Khalawle (Kakamega), members Amos Wako (Busia) George Khaniri (Vihiga) and Hassan Omar (Mombasa) concurred with the auditor and backed a motion to surcharge the beneficiaries, including Deputy Governor Paul Ntiati and County Executive Member in charge of Finance Keswe Mapena.

“This is straight forward breach of the law. These allowances paid must be recovered and it was supposed to be paid through administrative vote,” said Dr Khalwale.

However Governor Nkedianye, senators Kennedy Okongo (Nyamira), Muruiki Karue (Nyandarua) and Martha Wangaria (nominated) asked for a stay of the committee’s decision to surcharge the officials.