Murang'a deputy governor moves to court over salary deduction

KENYA: Murang’a Deputy Governor Austine Monyo has moved to court to challenge a decision by the county government to deduct money used to furnish his official residence.

Mr Monyo, who moved to court yesterday, also claimed that the county government terminated the lease of the house without his knowledge.

He claims that he was offered the house on June 3, 2015 and the county government spent over Sh4.8 million to renovate it, purchase furniture and electrical equipment.

“The county government has paid the lessor (landlord) Sh2,160,000 towards the rent deposit and rent between June 2013 and August 2014,” he states in the documents filed at the court registry in Nairobi.

He adds that an audit of the county government’s accounts was conducted by the Kenya National Audit office in May 2014 and forwarded to the government in December 2014.

According to him, the audit indicated that the deputy governor of a county does not qualify to be housed on premises belonging to the county government.

Monyo claims the county government threatened to terminate the lease agreement on July 5, 2014 without notice.

The deputy governor adds that he noticed in February that Sh233,006 has been deducted from his salary.

“The continuous deductions are causing my family hardship,” he says. He is seeking the court’s intervention in recovering the money. Monyo accuses the government of depriving him of his right to property.