Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has put his county executives on performance contracts and committed them to ensuring zero tolerance to corruption and efficient management.
Natembeya said he will not entertain cases of graft in his administration and warned the officers that they would carry their own cross if caught misusing public funds or resources.
“It will no longer be business as usual and if you are found messing up with public resources, you are on your own,” Natembeya said.
The county boss spoke during the signing of performance contracts by the county executives on Tuesday in Kitale.
Natembeya emphasised his desire for Trans Nzoia to become a model of service delivery for other counties in Kenya.
"We have to aim high and achieve high, I want other counties to come and benchmark how we deliver services," he said.
He highlighted challenges faced by the county, including delays in processing payments and irregularities in the procurement process.
The county boss called for strict vetting procedures to address concerns about unqualified individuals applying for tenders.
"Some individuals who have no capacity at all are applying for tenders just to mess up what we want to do and we will not allow that," Natembeya said.
He however said the county would work towards building the capacity of youth in the region so that they also benefit from the jobs and contracts in the county.
To curb cash handling-related issues, the governor directed the county finance department to implement a cashless system.
“It is outdated to have officers handling cash and I direct the finance department to ensure no cash handling in all our processes,” he said.
Natembeya set an ambitious target of collecting over Sh1 billion in own source revenue this financial year.
The governor also addressed the issue of pending bills, emphasising the importance of swift project completion.
"Every disbursement that we get, including those revenues, will be able to pay our contractors in good time. We are not going to have any pending debts," he said.
Flagship projects like the stadium and the county hospital are expected to be completed within the current calendar year, paving the way for focus on social issues in the next financial year.
Natembeya said he will continue to offer his full support to county officials and urged them to collaborate effectively.
"Let us stop the issue of passing the buck and blame games, let us deliver as one government," he said.
