Tharaka-Nithi Governor Samuel Ragwa on Wednesday found himself in a tight spot when Senators questioned him about Sh111 Million County money deposited in the personal account of the Chief Health Officer.
The matter was unearthed by the Senate Public Accounts and Investments Committee during the grilling of Governor Ragwa on county financial operations.
Ragwa denied the claims saying they were malicious and aimed at damaging his reputation.
Things became hotter when the county boss appeared not to know the agenda of the day, as he could not differentiate between financial operations and county financial statements.
Governor Ragwa insisted that his team came to discuss the financial statements of his first year in office (2013-2014 fiscal year) and not report on the financial operations of the county.
The Committee Chair, Kisumu Senator Anyang' Nyong'o, reprimanded the Governor with regard to the subject, as Ragwa and his Cabinet had seemingly read the wrong memo.
"You can't guess another report because the statement is very clear on what we are coming to discuss not what you think," Nyong'o firmly stated.
"If after four years as a governor you cannot differentiate between financial operations and financial statements, It is high time you told the people of Tharaka Nithi that you can't serve them," the Chairman added.
The Senate committee cast doubt on the functionality of Ragwa's Government, saying that the Governor and his Cabinet failed to understand simple content in the summon letter.
"You are either running the county incompetently or you are incompetent," Senator Bonny Khalwale directly addressed Ragwa.
Governor Ragwa is expected to appear before the committee again on Thursday, as the Senators doubted if the Governor had read the Auditor General's report on the financial operations of his county.
