Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen on Wednesday, December 18, expressed his opposition to Interior CS Fred Matiang'i's latest demand on governors.
In an animated series of tweets, the vocal legislator described Matiang'i's ultimatum to governors who were yet to clear pending bills to suppliers as 'unconstitutional'.
Murkomen termed the ultimatum as an attack on devolution and the independence of the counties.
"You have no power to micromanage counties. Comptroller of Budget doesn’t even respect her independence. Governors are being forced to pay pending bills incurred by previous colleagues and which are unverified," he stated.
He further faulted the former Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani - now Treasury CS, ex-Meru county boss Peter Munya (who serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Industrialisation) and ex-Turkana Senator John Munyes (Petroleum and Mining docket) for supporting the ultimatum.
"I would excuse Fred for his misguided unconstitutional statement. But the two former governors and former senator in this picture are a letdown," he added.
He stated that the order was putting the current county heads at risk of prosecution by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for making illegal payments.
"Governors are facing the danger of being charged by DPP if they make the wrong payments. The CS treasury who is a former governor should be careful on matters conflict of interest," he explained.
During a presser on Wednesday, December 18, CS Matiang'i further directed that county governments would be required to provide monthly status reports that would include an itemised list of all the bills paid to show compliance to the orders.
