Senators are headed for a big clash with governors over what the lawmakers termed misuse and theft of emergency funds.
Lawmakers have launched investigations into how county bosses are utilising the funds meant to mitigate disasters and other emergencies.
The revelations come amid reports that most of the devolved units are misusing, misdirecting and diverting funds meant for emergencies.
Several audit reports by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu have shown that most counties are diverting emergency funds to other uses, such as the payment of salaries.
Some counties have not set aside emergency funds, exposing themselves in the event of disasters such as fire, floods and drought.
“The monies that are utilised to fund flood and other disaster mitigation activities are never investigated or reported,” Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana said.
The Senate’s Security, Defence and Foreign Relations committee, chaired by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, is investigating the issue.
Data shows that last year alone, 294 people died, more than 55,00 households were displaced, 11,000 heads of livestock were killed, and 65,000 hectares of crop land were destroyed.
He said the national and county governments have never come clean on the amount that was spent on the floods.
“If this does not become the way to operate, then every time we have disasters like floods, we will have people who take advantage and floods will become a way to earn money and to make people rich, instead of dealing with the problems that are there,” he said.
The lawmakers also want to know how the counties have utilised funds and other resources donated by various partners, such as the Kenya Red Cross and the World Food Programme.
Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda, whose county has been a victim of floods every year, raised concerns that the county leadership has not come clean to explain how they utilise emergency funds.
“We need to get an update on actions taken by both national and county governments to address the impact of recent floods, including efforts to relocate and support displaced families,” Ojienda said.
He also wants the Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o-led administration to explain the strategies for long-term flood mitigation and climate resilience in Nyando and other flood-prone areas.
“The investigations should describe the coordination mechanisms between the county and the national government, as well as humanitarian organisations,” he said.
Lamu Senator Kamau Githuku said there have been instances where many people were displaced and their properties destroyed, but none of the victims were compensated.
This is despite the counties setting aside money yearly for emergencies.
“We have seen in different instances that some people suffer during the rainy season. The national and county government is supposed to take care of them because they are taxpayers,” he said.
Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda said counties should provide the strategy management they have, and put competent people who are qualified to deal with disaster management.
“We are in the rainy season and from the previous happenings, we have seen the damages that also come with the heavy rains, which end up causing high levels of floods,” she said.
“We will end up having high costs because we are dealing with the crisis instead of having a preventive measure at this moment.”
