Its a slap on the face of Governor Mike Sonko who is usually on the giving end when dissatisfied with employees as per the decision of annoyed senators regarding his level of ignorance.
His character was not taken lightly as the Senate Public Accounts and Investment Committee (CPAIC) has fined Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko Ksh.500, 000 for failing to honour its summons over audit queries raised by Auditor-General Edward Ouko.
Sonko is supposed to explain the glaring discrepancies in Nairobi’s financial statements, receipt books, bank statements and Ifmis. In his earlier annual reports, Ouko said the devolved unit lost acres of public land in unclear circumstances.
The Committee chairman Moses Kajwang today said Sonko must pay the fine before November 5, further directing him to appear on December 5 this year.Should the governor disregard the fresh orders, the committee warned that it would order for his arrest.
Sonko snubbed the committee for the second time in August and instead sent Charles Kerich, county executive in charge of the Land docket. The committee, however, declined to listen to Keter and demanded Sonko to appear in person.
“The Senate will not be taken into a charade and our business is to have the governor appear before us and answer how billions of money was spent in the county. We cannot listen to a county secretary who has written to us,” Moses Kajwang said at the time.
The skipping of the crucial hearing drew ire of the committee and Senator Moses Kajwang who issued another summon, warning of a fine should he fail to appear again.
The audit queries he is supposed to answer to date back to the 2014/15 financial year when former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero was in office.
Sonko will be put to task over Sh 600 million, which Ouko said could not be accounted for after City Hall spent Sh 2.8 billion on eight items.
“The county did not pay all its revenue collections to the County Revenue Fund prior to spending the collections contrary to the provisions of Section 109 ( 2 ) of the Public Financial Management Act,” Ouko said back in April.
In the year under review, the Auditor General said the county claimed to have spent Sh 8 billion at the source, contrary to constitutional provisions
Remember when Nairobi governor Mike Sonko made an announced visit at Pumwani Maternity Hospital the governor found 12 bodies of infants stuffed in polythene bags and boxes. He immediately suspended senior officials at the hospital.
Well according to auditor Edward’s allegation Nairobi county failed to honour a number of its pledges, including remittance of Sh 500,000 to Pumwani Maternity Hospital.
“Lack of funds compromised the operations at the health facility,” said the Auditor.
Do you think cases of embezzlement can be handled by the governors representative or should Sonko personally answer to the mysteries of City Hall?