Nyamira Governor, Amos Nyaribo, has offered an explanation after his September payslip showing that he was paid Ksh5.6 million leaked online.
The payslip indicated that the county boss was paid the amount alongside his monthly Ksh924,000 governor's salary attracting backlash online.
A statement issued by the governor through his press secretary, Julius Nyabicha, on Wednesday, November 10, indicated that the pay was a backdate of accumulative salary for Nyaribo during the time he served as the county's deputy governor.
He further explained that some part of the pay was the difference between the money he received and the required governor's salary as per the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
He noted that the governor continued earning the DG's salary in the eight months that he assumed the role of the county's boss.
"The arrears reflected are as a result of adjustments of salaries of deputy governors across the country emanating from Petition Number 9 of 2018 at the High Court in Nairobi between the County Government of Kakamega and the SRC. All counties affected this adjustment except Nyamira for unspecified reasons.
"We wish to state that this statement is in the spirit of openness, and the county government is working within the strict guidelines of SRC in determining the remuneration of all county staff," read the statement in part.
Nyaribo came under the spotlight at the beginning of September when he demoted over 1,000 county employees who had been unlawfully promoted.
He is also claimed to have stopped Ksh3 million monthly allowances accorded to some of his senior officers arguing that it was unlawful.
In a statement on September 3, the Governor announced that the employees were demoted after an audit by the County Public Service Board discovered they were promoted in an unlawful and unclear manner.
He further noted that the promotions, which also caught the eye of the anti-graft agency - the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) - affected more than ten departments.
Nyaribo was sworn in as the second governor of Nyamira County on December 29, 2020, taking over from John Nyagarama who passed away on December 18, 2020.
