Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto to face Senate probe over Sh184m audit queries

Chairman council of governors Isaac Ruto addressing residents at Kaptich,in Mauchei Nakuru county on September 27,2014 where they launched the Pesa Mashinani campaign in the county

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto is expected to appear before a Senate watchdog committee next week to explain the alleged misappropriation of Sh184 million.

Senate Public Accounts Committee chairman Boni Khalwale yesterday told members that Mr Ruto, who is also the chairman of the Council of Governors, had indicated he was willing to present himself before the committee to answer audit queries raised by Auditor General Edward Ouko.

“He said he is willing to come. Let us accord him the opportunity,” Dr Khalwale told committee members during a meeting at Parliament Buildings.

It is however not clear if thegovernor is willing to respond to specific issues raised by the Auditor General, or will seek to further buttress the decision by 10 summoned governors not to appear before the Senate committee.

The 10 governors obtained a court order that is now part of a supremacy tussle between the Judiciary and the Senate over claims that the former was encroaching on the latter’s oversight role. 

MEMBERS PRESENT

And in an indication of the suspicion that could still be feeding the frosty relationship between the Senate and the Council of Governors, committee members present at yesterday’s meeting greeted Ruto’s apparent change of heart with barely concealed cynicism.

Senator Martha Wangari (nominated, UDF) termed it "a trap".

Senator Kimani Wamatangi wondered if the Bomet governor had now ‘reformed’ and discarded his previous hardline stance towards the Senate committee summons.

“Is his appearance an affirmation that he has now reformed and that the rest of the governors will now appear? Is he saying that he can now come and respond to the queries?” asked Senator Wamatangi.

It was the Bomet governor who wrote to the Senate committee saying the 10 governors would not honour the summonses in light of the court order.

Khalwale, who is also the Kakamega senator, said he had accorded Ruto a hearing after warning him that he was staring at the possibility of being held responsible for the unaccounted for millions.

But even as the committee was discussing Ruto’s change of heart, members waited in vain for his Kisii counterpart James Ongwae to present himself to respond to his own audit queries.

The committee chose instead to issue fresh summons to the governor who is part of the team of governors who have stood their ground, saying they will not appear before the Senate committee.