Are governors concerns about their treatment over corruption genuine?

Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong. [George Njunge/Standard]

Even though I am against misappropriation  of money in the counties, I believe the council of governors has a valid point in calling for decorum on the part of national government investigators and prosecutors in tackling corruption allegations in counties.

First of all there is a misconception that governors are accounting officers in the counties, but that can just be wishful because virtually all transactions in counties go through various executives who append there signatures on all money matters in the place of accounting officers. It is in this respect that I find the arrest of any governor malicious and purposefully trained to evoke unnecessary political emotions like it was with the arrest of Busia governor Sospeter Ojamoong.

Unless the governors have a hand in instructing through coercion or through letter to accounting officers to engage in misappropriation, I don’t see why anyone should call for their arrest. It is like arresting CSs on accounting matters when it is public knowledge that PSs are the accounting officers in ministries.

The council of governors, however, is at fault on the bit about seeking immunity from criminal prosecution while they are still in office.  I think the law is clear and it doesn’t offer the immunity, except for the president. If anything, the best immunity the governors can have is forge transparent working frameworks where all the monies sent to them are put to good use by their accounting staff at the grassroots.

 

Mr Toboso is immediate former Butere MP