Kiala alleges deep rot in county during hearing

NAIROBI, KENYA: Machakos deputy Governor Bernard Kiala has accused the county administration of graft and raised governance concerns during impeachment proceedings against him.

Kiala Monday appeared before the Senate select committee probing his recommended removal by the County Assembly of Machakos over gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office and gross misconduct, among others.

In his defence, Kiala unleashed a damning dossier accusing his boss Governor Alfred Mutua and his executive committee of nepotism, flouting procurement laws, embezzlement of funds and contravening the county government's Act in the appointment of the public service.

The deputy governor said his predicament was a repercussion of blowing the whistle on the rot in the county. "The governor is keen on hounding me out of office for whistle-blowing against acts of corruption and bad governance," Kiala told the Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe-led committee.

Kiala told senators Mutua singled-sourced and purchased 15 Subaru Outback cars, allocating 10 to executive committee members and the remaining five to his own appointed officers.

"The governor bought one Toyota Land Cruiser VX (V8) for himself, all used cars in contravention of the Public Finance and Management Act 2012 and the procurement laws and regulation," he claimed.

Kiala also accused Mutua of cover-up of alleged graft by his officers, citing one incident where he declined to take action against an officer bankrolling his account with revenue collected.

"My committee probing collection of revenue in Mavoko unearthed massive irregularities and when we sought the governor's guidance, he disbanded the team promising to seek a forensic expert's opinion, and up-to-date nothing has happened," he said.

Kiala said Mutua was not willing to fight nepotism in his government, noting around 50 people hired by the county public service board were relatives. But legal counsel Kioko Kilukumi on behalf of the Machakos County Assembly rubbished his allegations. He instead accused Kiala of nepotism, saying he influenced the appointment of 14 of his close relations.

Kilukumi further accused Kiala of misleading the public over his woes, conducting himself in a manner not of a State officer and antagonising Mutua.

"Kiala failed to disclose he has a pending criminal case in court yet he went ahead to contest a public position, breaching Chapter Six of the law," he said.