Senate to probe governor Wangamati over corruption

Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati.

A petitioner wants Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati investigated over alleged embezzlement of public funds and abuse of office.

A petition read in the Senate by Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka/Nithi) yesterday cites gross violation of the Constitution and other laws by the county boss in discharging his duties.

Petitioner Moses Wanjala Lukoye, a resident of Bungoma County, has sought the Senate’s intervention to probe the governor and his team for falsifying claims through exaggerated budgets of public participation meetings done to justify monies already spent.

The governor allegedly flouted the financial and procurement laws, including hiring of his cronies, occasioning an increased wage bill of Sh2.72 billion.

Wangamati, who is the CoG finance committee chair, is also criticised by the petitioner for creating unnecessary Service Delivery Unit which is a duplication of the roles of the County Public Service Board and the county department of public administration and management.

Lukoye argues that the maladministration of the county by the governor has seen the total revenue spent on recurrent expenditure rise to 54 per cent.

He also took a swipe at the county assembly for alleged conspiracy in censoring petitions against the county executive.

The petitioner wants Senate to direct the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Director Public Prosecution and Controller of Budget to investigate whether any criminal offense arise from the facts set out in the petition and appropriate action taken.

Prof Kindiki directed Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee led by senator John Kinyua (Laikipia) to deal with the matter.

Senator Moses Wetang'ula (Bungoma), who is the Ford Kenya party leader, dismissed some of the issues raised in the petition as outrageous and ill founded.