Oparanya: Let governors implicated in graft clear their names

The Council of Governors (CoG) will not defend county chiefs implicated in corruption.

Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who is CoG chairman, said officials accused of involvement in graft should be ready to carry their own cross.

“Governors should defend themselves or go to jail if convicted,” said Mr Oparanya while fielding questions during a television show broadcast on a local channel on Wednesday.

The county chief said CoG supports President Uhuru Kenyatta in the war against corruption.

At the same time, he dismissed assertions that CoG had disowned Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko. According to Oparanya, CoG was against the move to compel governors facing corruption accusations to step aside because the decision only derails service delivery in their units.

Any documents

“Governors are not accounting officers, they don’t sign any documents, it is not true that they would interfere with investigations if allowed to continue discharging their duties,” he argued.

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and his Samburu counterpart Moses Lenolkulal have so far been barred from accessing their offices over corruption charges they are facing in court.

In Garissa, Governor Ali Korane has faulted the national Treasury for withholding county funds over pending bills, terming the move illegal.

Speaking in his office, Mr Korane said they are in talks with local banks to pay staff salaries so as not to paralyse operations in the county.

He at the same time told off the treasury for what he said was micromanaging counties.

[John Shilitsa and Abdimalik Hajir]