In what looks like a swift rejoinder to the plans of Governor Hassan Joho’s impeachment, Mombasa county communications director Richard Chacha has rubbished the allegations and termed the activists behind Joho’s impeachment as busybodies involved in an exercise in futility.
He said there are clearly defined procedures for the county to respond to audit queries as raised by Auditor General, which the county has dutifully done over the years.
“We have always appeared before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee whenever called upon to shed light on various audit queries, but we cannot respond to all manner of kangaroo barazas demanding answers to one audit query or another,” he said.
“There are clear channels of addressing what is deemed as excesses by the county government. Remember, we are operating under the law and we have to follow procedures as provided by the law.”
On the rift between the county executive and the assembly, Chacha explained that Governor Joho earlier appeared before Senate Committee on Devolution where he exonerated himself from the accusations of being behind the petition to dissolve the county assembly.
The civil society groups called for respect of county assemblies and condemned efforts by a lobby collecting signatures to petition for the dissolution of the county government.
Zedekiah Adika, an advocate at Kituo cha Sheria, said democracy is under attack in Kenya as both the county and national assemblies which represent the people’s voices are being stifled.
He condemned a recent High Court ruling in Bungoma that declared as unconstitutional Section 40 (3) of the County Governments Act, which empowers MCAs to impeach county executives.
Adika said if the ruling will not be challenged then the assemblies will die.
Ketta Ayoo of Pamoja Trust said audit reports from the Auditor General are enough evidence of why Joho’s administration should be investigated for failing to properly account for public resources entrusted to him and his executives.
Ayoo said the county’s lack of an updated asset register puts at risk public assets. The audit report shows suppliers are still holding log books for vehicles bought by the county government at a value of Sh195 million.
Quoting sections of the audit report for financial year 2016-2017, the group questioned why the county government deviated from its key priority areas and allocated the lion’s share to the Transport and Infrastructure docket which, according to the group, was not as critical as Health and Water.
“What this means is that there is a real possibility that this department is a conduit for corruption. The huge allocations were directed here contrary to fiscal priorities and further directly procured firms were awarded contracts lending credence to accusations that the CECM Transport could have given work to relatives and members of the executive as it was said of the street lighting project,” the lobbies’ statement read.
They are now advocating for the impeachment of Joho. Do you support their decision?