Marsabit Governor risks Sh500,000 fine for snubbing Senate hearing

Marsabit Governor Ali Muhamud Mohamed risks being fined Sh500,000 for snubbing a Senate oversight committee to answer audit questions on the use of funds in his county. 

The governor was due to appear before the Senate Committee on County Public Accounts on Tuesday before he asked for the meeting to be postponed.

However, the committee refused the governor's request and summoned him to appear before it on 17 May. 

The chairman of the committee, Senator Moses Kajwang, warned that the governor would be fined not more than Sh500,000 if he failed to appear before the committee as requested.

"We reject the governor's letter and will issue a summons compelling him to appear," Mr Kajwang ruled.

The committee found that the governor had not submitted written replies to the committee or the Regional Audit Office in Nyeri as required by the Public Accounts Act.

The Act requires accounting officers to submit written responses to audit queries at least seven days before the Governor's appearance.

Governor Mohamed had earlier written to the committee asking them to postpone the meeting as he was out of the country on a religious pilgrimage.

However, the committee rejected his request after television footage showed him attending a meeting of the Governors' Council at a time when he had claimed to be out of the country.

The committee had accused the Marsabit County boss, along with three other governors, of using religion as an excuse to escape accountability.

Garissa's Nadhif Jama and his Mandera counterpart Mohamed Adan Khalif were among those accused of using religion as an excuse to evade accountability.

Last week, the committee fined Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi Sh500,000 after finding him guilty of giving false information under oath.

The committee's actions are part of efforts to ensure that county governments are held accountable for the use of public funds.

Senator Kajwang stressed the importance of upholding the Public Accounts Act and ensuring that county leaders are accountable for the resources under their control.

"The committee will not hesitate to use the Powers and Privileges Act to enforce accountability in county governments," said Senator Kajwang. "We urge all county chiefs to comply with the law and be accountable for the use of public resources."