Governor decries row with senators

Muranga, Kenya: Governor Mwangi Wa Iria has pleaded with his colleagues and senators to end their differences, warning that the protracted war will frustrate full implementation of devolution.

He allayed fears that the supremacy battles will deal a blow to their re-election bids.

“It is a high time we made mend in our relationship.The push and pull among the elected leaders is not healthy for the counties and is a dangerous precedence for devolution, “ he warned.

He added, “Governors and senators should focus on coming up with mechanisms to iron out their differences, away from the full glare of the media.”

The Murang’a governor admitted that his colleagues have taken a hard-line stand over assumptions that senators are out to humiliate them. Wa Iria spoke when he appeared before the Senate Public Account and Investment committee, after he was summoned for failing to honour invites.

The governor had ignored summons to appear before Boni Khalwale’s committee to clarify queries on Sh22.7million Local Authority Transfer Fund and Sh4.9million for county renovations raised by the Auditor General Edward Ouko. Muranga County was listed alongside Bomet, Kisumu and Kiambu as counties to be starved of funds until they comply.

The senators called upon three governors, yet to honour summons, to respond on the Auditor General’s audit queries to avoid missing out on county allocation.

They maintained that governors cannot run away from accountability and must comply with the summons to receive funds due in two weeks.

Dr Khalwale, moved a Motion in the Senate, which was approved and the clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye, wrote to the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and Controller of Budgets Agnes Odhiambo, not to release funds to the four counties.