The County Public Investments and Special Funds Senate Committee abruptly ended its Friday meeting with Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo after he failed to produce a more thorough audit report in the allotted 21 days.
The governor of Nyamira was testifying before the committee regarding disparities, in the county’s financial expenditures for the 2020–2021, 2021–2022, and 2022–2023 fiscal years in the Nyamira Municipality.
The committee, chaired by Senator Godfrey Osotsi, expressed serious concerns, about a number of municipality development projects that the Auditor General’s report had highlighted.
In a statement released on September 6 on the official website of the Parliament, it was said that the committee gave special attention to inconsistencies in road construction projects and unjustified hotel allowances.
The governor was questioned on a number of projects, including the Public Works Offices – Nyamira Hospital Junction Road and the Borabu Inn – Golan Heights Resort. He told the committee that these projects had been resumed and were now almost finished.
Governor Nyaribo addressed concerns regarding unsupported hotel allowances by stating, “An administrative oversight in maintaining proper records occurred.” Since then, we’ve fixed the problem and put stronger procedures in place to make sure all expenses are accurately recorded.
The committee, however, felt that the explanation was inadequate because the documents had not been shown to the auditor during the first audit, making it impossible for them to validate them.
Osotsi ordered a re-audit of the road projects in particular and instructed the governor to provide a constructive report to the Auditor General due to the inconsistent findings on the two road projects and unsupported hotel allowances in the report.
“The auditors are to report back to this committee within 21 days with the updated audited report,” he said as he concluded his remarks, establishing a deadline for the new report. This will make it possible to look more closely at the county’s financial management.
In an attempt to stop this tendency, counties’ budgets, were recently proposed to be lowered from Ksh400 billion to Ksh385 billion. Counties have been under fire in recent years for mismanaging finances.
But when it comes to questioning his staff at Nyamira County, Governor Nyaribo has always been among the most outspoken; his most recent audit, which focused on dubious promotions, took place in May 2023.
A crackdown on phony certifications in his county, resulted in the suspension of 79 Nyamira County workers that same month.
By Newshub