Embu County Ward Representatives expressed their dissatisfaction with the performance of County Executive Committee (CEC) members, citing incompetence, non-performance, and contravention of the law as grounds for potential impeachment. The concerns were brought to light during an interrogation of Prof. Joe Kamaria, the County Executive for Finance and Economic Planning, by the County Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) following a critical Auditor General’s report on the County Revenue Fund for the year ended June 30.
The PAC, led by Chairman Paul Muchangi, grilled Prof. Kamaria on various issues, including the alarming finding of Ksh 7.9 million worth of expired drugs at the Embu Level Five Hospital stores. These drugs, donated to the county, were left unused despite a well-documented drug shortage affecting medical facilities across the county for years. Prof. Kamaria struggled to provide a satisfactory explanation for this oversight.
The interrogation revealed further financial discrepancies, including Ksh 25.4 million in outstanding imprests not surrendered for the past five years. Muchangi emphasized that some junior officers in the County Executive had taken imprests amounting to Ksh 2.9 million. The committee demanded the recovery of these long-standing imprests and an additional Ksh 680,000 in illegal allowances allegedly pocketed by members of the County Public Service Board.
Muchangi criticized the head of the County Treasury for presenting unsigned payment vouchers to the committee, calling them forgeries. He underscored the need for transparent and accountable financial management within the county government.
Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Swaleh raised concerns about an exorbitant payment of Ksh 156 million as insurance for a pickup truck (KBL 009M) privately owned by a commercial bank. He also highlighted the absence of an updated vehicle register with details such as chassis numbers, engine numbers, and the dates vehicles were commissioned and decommissioned.
The Auditor General’s report further revealed questionable payments to two law firms amounting to Ksh 5.8 million. These payments were made without approval from the County Cabinet and lacked supporting itemized fee notes, raising suspicions about the legitimacy of the transactions.
Another pressing issue was the disappearance of Ksh 11.1 million held as retention funds for contractors engaged in development projects. The PAC queried the whereabouts of these funds, which should have been accounted for in the county’s financial records.
Prof. Kamaria was given a seven-day ultimatum to document the measures taken to address the anomalies highlighted by the Auditor General’s report and report back to the County Assembly. The MCAs emphasized that failure to rectify these issues could lead to impeachment proceedings against the CEC members responsible for the mismanagement.
The PAC’s actions reflect a growing concern among Embu Ward Representatives about the financial stewardship of the county government. The threats of impeachment underscore the seriousness of the allegations and the demand for accountability from county officials.
This development in Embu County highlights the broader challenges facing local governments in Kenya, where issues of corruption, mismanagement, and lack of accountability often hinder effective service delivery to citizens. As the MCAs press for answers and corrective actions, the outcomes of these investigations could set a precedent for improved governance and transparency in the county’s administration.
