Why Kimemia is reluctant to pay Nyandarua County pending bills

Nyandarua County Governor Francis Kimemia

The County Government of Nyandarua will not honour pending bills amounting to about Sh900m to contractors terming some of them as fake.

Speaking at a function to mark the World Anti-Corruption Day at the Ol’Kalou Stadium on Tuesday, Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia alleged that dubious contractors had colluded with some county officials to defraud the county government through ghost projects.

“I had been asked to spend close to Sh900 million on such bills, yet verification efforts point to only about a third of them being legitimate,” he said.

Kimemia also warned that he would crack whip on rogue officials and announced a plan to lead county residents in inspecting procured projects to establish if they were genuine.

“I have already fired four members of my County Executive Committee and won’t hesitate to act on other members of staff when called upon,” he said.

The move to inspect projects, he says, will ensure that residents get value for money.

The Nyandarua Governor further stated that corrupt individuals would carry their own cross, alluding to corruption allegations facing the county’s former Governor.

“I am eyeing peaceful years in my sunset, devoid of courtroom drama. I am aware, each day, that it is Wanjiku who elected me and my running mate. To them I remain solely accountable,” he said.

Governor Kimemia also unveiled Nyandarua County’s anti-graft strategy which requires officials suspected of involvement in corruption to step down pending their investigation.

The strategy also identifies other functional areas that might provide loopholes for corruption to thrive.

These include revenue collection and licensing, human resource management, accounting, settlement of pending bills; asset management, public procurement and disposal, service delivery and public financial management.

Members of the public have also been urged to promptly report incidences or suspected cases of corruption to ensure effective implementation of the strategy.