This week, Auditor General Edward Ouko released a report on Counties’ expenditure which gave Makueni County boss a clean bill of health on his expenditure.
However, Vihiga County is yet again out there to reflect its appetite for lavish spending as they struggle to fund projects.
The County will spend Sh103 million to build a palatial home for its governor, Wilbur Ottichilo.
Dr Ottichilo on Thursday launched construction of his official residence in the race to beat the June 30 deadline when house allowances for governors, their deputies and the assembly Speakers will be scrapped.
Vihiga also kicked off the construction of the deputy governor’s home for Sh55 million, pushing the homes construction budget to Sh158 million.
The Sh158 million is more than the Sh153 million that Vihiga expects to raise from its own sources like business permits, parking fees and land rates.
The governor’s lavish home will cost Sh80 million while the two-acre land that it seats on will cost taxpayers Sh23.9 million—a deal that the Auditor General say was overpriced.
Dr Ottichilo asked the contractor, Mr Judas Ekero, to speed up the work to enable the houses be ready by June 30.
A circular by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) notes that governors, their deputies and assembly speakers will lose house allowances from June 30. The circular requires that official residences of the three top officers be ready by mid-year.
“From July 1, the governors, their deputies and Speakers will not have house allowances,” said Dr Ottichilo.
“We will not have a place to live and sleep from July 1. The contractor should work day and night to ensure that I settle into the house on July 1.”