Audit flags Sh4m for Sonko's security during 'unknown' Mombasa trip
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko before the Senate in Nairobi on December 17, 2020, during the hearing of a motion for his impeachment.
The office of the auditor-general has raised a red flag over millions of taxpayers money spent by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko while he was on visit to the coastal city of Mombasa.
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu raised the matter before the Nairobi City County Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is probing the expenditure.
The committee heard that the county government paid Sh4.092 million to 33 police officers who were guarding the former governor at the time.
The visit took place from July 22 to August 12, 2018, while Mr Sonko was running Nairobi’s affairs following Polycarp Igathe’s resignation as deputy governor in January that year.
It was also then that City Hall faced turmoil after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) began investigating Mr Sonko on corruption allegations. During the investigation, the accused had complained that his life was in danger, following withdrawal of his security.
The purpose of Mr Sonko’s Mombasa visit was unknown as the county executive summoned by the PAC failed to provide documents explaining this.
Finance and Economic Planning chief officer, Asha Abdi, told the committee that Mr Sonko was accompanied by only 12 police officers who were out of their working station and entitled to an allowance.
“They were deemed to be on duty out of their work station and were entitled to allowances in accordance with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission,” she said.
PAC chair Chege Mwaura requested to be furnished with a letter explaining the purpose of the visit and the proof of payment of the police officers’ allowances but these were not immediately available.
It was also unclear why the former governor took an entourage of 33 police officers yet a county governor is entitled to only five police officers.
Mr Mwaura gave the county executives one week to look for documents showing the purpose of the visit so the committee can write its report and table it before the county assembly.
Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai, a member of the committee, requested that City Hall officials who approved the request for the provision of 33 police officers, as well as their payment, be brought to book.
“We want to know the people who were involved in this approval because that is the only way we can know the purpose of the visit and why they approved such a number of police officers,” Mr Alai said.
The PAC is seeking responses from the county executive on the auditor-general’s report for the 2018/2019 financial year..
Among the issues the assembly is probing is a variance of Sh1.035 billion between financial statements provided by the county government and those in the Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis).
In their responses, the county executives said the difference was caused by a change in the systems of payment.
They are also probing a Sh75 million payment to the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) for the delivery of drugs as there are no receipts showing health facilities received them.
