Why did you elect your MCA and are you satisfied with the work they are doing so far? An expose of how the county Assemblies are playing games on public funds has spiraled to a serious level transforming them to employees of graft.
County Assemblies have become cash cows with unscrupulous staff and MCAs siphoning public funds through dubious payments to their own companies and unnecessary trips.
Plenty of sources have revealed several calls made to investigative agencies to open probe on all payments done between April and June this year at the counties.
During the period in question, counties were forced to rush payments, and in some cases, made double payments to companies associated with staff members, MCAs or companies owned by their cronies.
Sources indicate that MCAs normally intimidate Speakers and Clerks with impeachment threats if they tend not to comply.
In one Assembly in Mount Kenya region, MCAs demanded a trip to lucrative destinations of Estonia, Tajikistan and Kazakistan. “I had no option but to organise a trip to Estonia where six MCAs travelled for site seeing,” said the Clerk.
In Kiambu, computer accessories valued at Sh50 million were reportedly paid for but not delivered.Further, the County Assembly bought pens worth Sh100,000 that were not requested for.
Director of Criminal Investigation George Kinoti has dispatched a team of detectives to the Nyamira County Assembly to investigate alleged irregularities in the procurement of the Assembly office block, misappropriation of funds and abuse of office.
The detectives may narrow down their investigations to trip made in China by the MCAs for a training on usage of Hansard equipment.
“The training was purely for the Hansard staff. All costs were to be met by the contractor supplying and installing Hansard suites, but MCAs and Speaker took advantage of it and drew imprests and other expenses from the Assembly irregularly,” a source said.
A payroll audit at the County Assembly of Homa Bay has revealed that the legislative house lost up to Sh4.5 million in hands of ghost workers and more millions in other controversial services.
An Auditor General’s report has also revealed widespread misuse of public funds through weak financial controls and failure to properly account for spent funds in county assemblies.
The Executive and assemblies failed to table documents to support pending bills for the financial year ended June 30.