Gerald Kyalo. (geraldbway).
The Senate is set to freeze funds for county governments whose governors fail to appear before its committees to respond to audit queries raised by the Auditor General. This move is aimed at ensuring accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.
According to the proposed motion, the Senate plans to compel the Office of the Controller of Budget to exercise powers under Article 228(5) of the Constitution and the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act to withhold approval of withdrawals from a county revenue fund where a governor has failed or declined to appear before a Senate committee.
The County Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, has faced repeated cases where governors fail to attend sessions meant to scrutinise the use of public funds. Senators argue that some county bosses have repeatedly failed to honour invitations and summons issued by the committee, thereby contravening their constitutional and statutory duty to account for funds allocated to their respective county governments.
The Senate believes that failure by governors to appear before its committees undermines the chamber's constitutional oversight mandate and weakens accountability in the management of public resources. The move is seen as a strong statement by the Senate to assert its authority and ensure that county governments are held accountable for their actions.
Governors have pushed back against the committee's actions, accusing some senators of turning the hearings into platforms for extortion and political score-settling when county chiefs appear before them. The Council of Governors (CoG) has accused four senators, including Moses Kajwang, Edwin Sifuna, Samson Cherargei, and Johnes Mwaruma, of using their oversight powers to extort and intimidate governors.
The standoff highlights the ongoing tension between the Senate and county governments over accountability and oversight. The outcome of this dispute is likely to have significant implications for the management of public funds and the relationship between the Senate and county governments.
According to the proposed motion, the Senate plans to compel the Office of the Controller of Budget to exercise powers under Article 228(5) of the Constitution and the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act to withhold approval of withdrawals from a county revenue fund where a governor has failed or declined to appear before a Senate committee.
The County Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, has faced repeated cases where governors fail to attend sessions meant to scrutinise the use of public funds. Senators argue that some county bosses have repeatedly failed to honour invitations and summons issued by the committee, thereby contravening their constitutional and statutory duty to account for funds allocated to their respective county governments.
The Senate believes that failure by governors to appear before its committees undermines the chamber's constitutional oversight mandate and weakens accountability in the management of public resources. The move is seen as a strong statement by the Senate to assert its authority and ensure that county governments are held accountable for their actions.
Governors have pushed back against the committee's actions, accusing some senators of turning the hearings into platforms for extortion and political score-settling when county chiefs appear before them. The Council of Governors (CoG) has accused four senators, including Moses Kajwang, Edwin Sifuna, Samson Cherargei, and Johnes Mwaruma, of using their oversight powers to extort and intimidate governors.
The standoff highlights the ongoing tension between the Senate and county governments over accountability and oversight. The outcome of this dispute is likely to have significant implications for the management of public funds and the relationship between the Senate and county governments.
