A Senate committee has named 12 governors who they have accused of frustrating their effectiveness in the House by failing to show up when summoned.
Members of the County Public Accounts and Investment Committee have expressed their fury at the county bosses for failing to heed summons to respond to questions raised by Auditor General Edward Ouko on their expenditure during questioned financial years.
Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Mwangi wa Iria (Murang’a), Salim Mvurya (Kwale), Cornel Rasanga (Siaya), Patrick Khaemba (Trans-Nzoia) and Martin Wambora (Embu), who have failed to show up in previous summons, are expected to answer queries touching on spending during their first term in office.
[caption caption="Council of Governors address the media after their induction conference in Mombasa in 2017"]
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The committee's chairperson Moses Kajwang' stated that they would be forced to compel the county chiefs to appear before them, noting that the governors were complicating their work by refusing to co-operate.
"The non-appearance by the governors, without giving us notice, is slowing down our work as a committee. We have taken a decision to summon the 12 county chiefs who have failed to appear before us," Kajwang' mentioned.
According to the Homa Bay senator, only six of the 18 governors summoned by the committee had turned up.
"We shall review all the reasons given by the country chiefs and if we find out that the excuse was not sufficient, we will be compelled to drag them before our House team. Governors come to us when they need money and refuse to be held accountable," he affirmed.
Kajwang spoke on Wednesday during a meeting where Governor Muthomi Njuki of Tharaka Nithi was questioned by senators on the overspending by the county administration during the regime of his predecessor Samwel Ragwa.
Additionally, the legislator disclosed that the first-term county bosses Moses Lenolkulal (Samburu), Granton Samboja (Taita Taveta), Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua), Abdi Mahamud (Wajir), Mohamud Ali (Marsabit) and Ali Korane (Garissa) are expected to respond to queries touching on their predecessors' actions.
County bosses who have appeared before the Senate team this year include Kiraitu Murungi (Meru), Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni), Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Joyce Laboso (Bomet) and Mohamed Kuti (Isiolo).
[caption caption="Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang'"]
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