Embu Ward Representatives have threatened to impeach County Executive Committee members on grounds of incompetence, non-performance, and contravention of the law.

The furious MCAs expressed their frustrations after interrogating Finance and Economic Planning County Executive Committee Member Prof. Joe Kamaria on reports of the Auditor General on: County Revenue Fund for the Year Ended 30th June, Receiver of Revenue – Revenue Statements and County Executive of Embu for the year Ended 30th June, 2023.

During a County Assembly Public Accounts Committee sitting, the Auditor General’s report revealed that a physical inspection conducted in Embu Level 5 Hospital stores in August, 2023 revealed that the facility had in stock of expired drugs whose estimated value amounting to Ksh 7.9 million. The MCAs decried the incessant lack of medicine across the county, yet donated drugs were left to expire.

Prof. Kamaria was at pains to explain to the Ward Reps why outstanding imprests amounting to Kshs.25.4 million had not been surrendered for the last five years. The audit report indicated that some junior officers at the county executive had taken imprests of up to Ksh 2.9 million, which they failed to account for within seven days.

MCAs led by the PAC Chairman Paul Muchangi (Gaturi South) demanded that the long outstanding imprests, plus illegal allowances to members of the County Public Service Board where each member was paid Ksh 680,000 recovered. Muchangi slammed the head of County Treasury for presenting unsigned payment vouchers as evidence in the committee, terming them as forgeries.

Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Swaleh (Kirimari) questioned why the county government had paid Ksh 156 million as insurance for a pickup (KBL 009M) which was privately owned by a Commercial Bank. He also noted that the county had no updated vehicle register with details of chassis numbers, engine numbers, the dates the vehicles were put into use, and the dates the vehicles were grounded.

According to the Audit Report, 106 motor vehicles and bikes lacked engine numbers. The county had spent Ksh 8.1 million in routine maintenance of vehicles and other transport equipment in the 2022/2023 Financial Year. However, the Auditor General stated that the management did not provide records of maintenance and repairs in respect of each motor vehicle, plant, and equipment.

The committee also queried the stalled construction of the Governor’s residence whose contract sum was Kshs.49.7 million, awarded on 8 March 2021, with an expected completion date of 8th September 2022. The County Executive was required to allocate funds and prioritize construction of houses for the Governor and Deputy Governor on public land, but the projects had stalled.

The Auditor’s review of legal documents revealed that two law firms were paid an amount of Ksh 5.8 million without an approval from the County Cabinet in regard to outsourcing of legal services as required under Section 16 of the Office of the County Attorney Act, 2020. Additionally, the payments were not supported by itemized fee notes. The management also did not provide signed contract agreements between the law firms and the county executive.

Further, the committee queried why Ksh 11.1 million held as retention funds for contractors engaged in development projects was missing from the county accounts. The Auditor’s review of payroll data revealed that the County Executive had overdue outstanding remittances totalling Ksh 536.9 million deducted from employee salaries, which had not been remitted to the respective entities.

The County Executive now has seven days to document the measures taken to rectify anomalies raised by the Office of the Auditor General and report back to the County Assembly.