Governors await Supreme Court advisory before honouring Senate

By ROSELYNE OBALA

NAIROBI, KENYA: Governors summoned by the Senate have stressed they will abide by the Supreme Court advisory on the matter before they can respond to senators.

Wajir governor Ahmed Abdulla Mohammed also taken issue with the summons, saying only the Governors Council committee on Finances members were directed to appear before the Billow Kerrow led committee.

“We have no issues with Senators inviting us to shed light of administrative matter touching on our Counties but the meetings should be for consultations,” said the County Chief in the side-lines of a meeting at Kenya Agricultural Research Institution (KARI) headquarters.

Mohammed who chair the Council Finance Committee absolved his colleagues of any blame, saying that they had not declined to honour initial invites has indicated by the Senators.

“When we received the invites, we had to also gather our colleagues who are based in their Counties,” he said.

He continued, “when we appeared before the Senate Committee we lacked the quorum and this must have not gone down well with the senators.’

He regretted that as a result of the mis-understanding, they instead received summons from the Senate, which indicated ‘abuse of office’.

Meru governor Peter Munya also concurred with his colleague and maintained that they are going to deliberate on the matter even as they await the court’s advisory.

He however noted that any governor who decides to appear before the Senate committee will do so his own discretion and not that of the council members.

“If any of the governors decides to appear before the committee, it is their own personal decision,” said the governor.

He spoke after Kitui Governor Julius Malombe who is among the governors summoned appeared before the Billow Kerrow Committee.

The governors tough stand is expect elicited mixed reactions from the Senators even after Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki warned of serious consequences if they snub the summons.

Senators have vowed to exercise their oversight mandate on County government to ensure the funds are properly used.

They have raised procurement issues and misappropriation of funds that has exposed governors over administrative issues.

The Senate last Friday impeached Embu governor Martin Wambora while Machakos governor Alfred Mutua is under siege of his expenditure according to report by the Auditor general Edward Ouko.

The KARI meeting saw the National government devolve mechanization unit and Agricultural Training Centres that was contested by the County governments.

Council chairman Isaac Ruto said they were in the final stages of devolving the functions.

“We have discussed the final transfer process. It is now left to County Executives on Agriculture to actualize the details,” he said.