Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo fined Sh500,000 for snubbing Senate Committee
Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo.
What you need to know:
- Governor Guyo accuses committee of being used to fight local political wars.
- But Senator Kajwang’ denied his committee was being used to fight political wars.
A Senate watchdog committee has fined Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo Sh500,000 for snubbing invitations to appear before it to answer audit queries concerning expenditure of public funds by his county government.
The Senate County Public Accounts Committee has also asked Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to arrest the governor and bring him to the committee.
However, Governor Guyo is adamant that he will not appear before a committee "being used to fight local political wars."
The development comes after the first term governor failed to appear before the committee chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang' which had traveled to Isiolo to question the governor.
Senator Kajwang’ said the committee will now issue summon to the governor to appear before it on a date to be determined.
He said that if the governor does not show up, then they will push for the dissolution of the county or stoppage of funds as provided for in the Constitution.
Local political wars
The third term lawmaker reproached the governor, saying his decision to give the committee a wide berth fell short of their expectations and that of the Constitution under national values.
"We travelled to Isiolo after the governor sought postponements, at least five times, to appear before it in Nairobi," said Senator Kajwang.
Governor Guyo, however, defended himself for the no-show, accusing the committee of being used to fight local political wars.
According to the county boss, the committee was being used to fight political wars between him and county Senator Fatuma Dullo.
“As the governor of Isiolo, I’m ready to be accountable to the great people of Isiolo and the people of Kenya. But I will not appear before the committee which has been weaponsied and reduced to a political tool,” Mr Guyo said.
"They should deal with issues not petty, local politics. I will not succumb to political blackmail and intimidation. The senator for Isiolo should know that I was elected by the people of Isiolo whom I’m accountable to,” he added.
Accountability
During the visit, all the county officers – the governor, Isiolo Assembly speaker, clerk and all the MCAs were absent in the Assembly precincts.
Deputy Governor James Lowasa was reportedly in the office but left after news filtered through that the aircraft carrying the senators had landed.
However, the governor said that he has informed the committee that he won’t be around and requested to reschedule the meeting.
“The Senate is being used as a political tool. First, I was not the governor of Isiolo during the year in which the report they want to question me about was released,” Governor Guyo said.
He said the Senate should not become a tool for senators who want to be governors.
But Senator Kajwang’ denied his committee was being used to fight political wars, and urged the governor to go beyond personality conflicts and local politics and deliver on his promise and the devolution dream.
“We are not interested in local politics. Our interest is accountability and other issues that can be substantiated,” Mr Kajwang’ said.
