Some 11 county governments could soon be on the radar of the anti-graft agencies over irregularities and suspected misuse of taxpayers’ money running into billions of shillings.
Senators want the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to probe the counties.
The devolved units have failed to account for several expenditures while others have accumulated ‘fictitious’ pending bills.
The counties facing probe are Tharaka Nithi, Homa Bay, Bomet, Meru, Makueni, Wajir, Nyeri, Siaya, Samburu, Kakamega and Murang’a.
The Senate County Public Accounts Committee recommended the probe in a report which scrutinised the Auditor General’s report for county executives for the year ending June 30, 2020.
The counties’ management failed to explain the audit queries to the satisfaction of the panel chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang.
In Tharaka Nithi, the committee wants DCI to investigate Sh439.32 million accumulated pending bills.
“Pending bills deemed ineligible should be forwarded to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for probe and proper legal action taken against those filing false claims,” the report says.
In addition, the county faces an investigation over irregular transfer of Sh36.94 million contrary to the law.
The county transferred funds from retention account to recurrent under unclear circumstances.
“The committee recommends EACC to investigate transfer of Sh36.94 million from deposits account on July 29, 2019, to the recurrent account contrary to Section 7(l) (e) of the Public Finance Management (County Government) Regulations, 2015,” the report says.
“The panel recommends prosecution of culpable officer(s) if diversion of funds resulted in loss of public funds and provides a status update to the Auditor General and the Senate within 90 days.”
In Homa Bay, the lawmakers want EACC to investigate possible impropriety of funds generated under the Alcoholic Drinks Control Fund.
According to the report, revenue records examined by the auditors reflected nil collection on liquor licensing fees against Sh1.46 million budgeted for the year.
“The committee recommends that EACC investigates the operationalisation of the fund since its inception to date with the view of establishing if there has been impropriety in the management and utilisation of the fund,” the panel said.
The lawmakers want the DCI to investigate Sh646.63 million after the county failed to disclose Sh136 million debt in its books.
The devolved unit also faces investigation over construction of an animal feed factory and stores at Arujo for Sh45.16 million.
The variation on the Sh396.78 million contract for the construction of Homa Bay stadium has also been questioned.
