Former Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow has criticised Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif over the county’s spending on farm inputs after a tense grilling at the Senate Public Accounts Committee raised questions about accountability.

In a post on X on Saturday, Kerrow questioned the decision to spend Ksh55.9 million on seedlings in a drought-prone county, while farmers along River Dawa struggle without basic support. He contrasted the spending with Ksh359 million reportedly used on famine relief.

“Ksh55.9 million on seedlings? My hometown of Rhamu on River Dawa with 22,000 hectares of farmland doesn’t enjoy free inputs from the county administration,” Kerrow wrote.

“The same county that claims to supply free seedlings charges Ksh6,000 per hour for the only plough tractor in the subcounty.”

Kerrow argued that better support for farmers would reduce dependence on emergency aid.

“If they only supported farmers along River Dawa with inputs, we wouldn’t be on famine relief,” he said, ending his post with the phrase, “Akili ni mali.”

His remarks followed a Senate session on Friday, January 30, 2026, in which lawmakers pressed Mandera County officials and the Office of the Auditor-General over several spending items in the 2024/2025 financial year.

Committee chair Moses Otieno Kajwang questioned whether the Ksh55.9 million spent on seedlings could be traced on the ground.

“Can you give us the assurance that the Ksh55.9 million worth of seedlings are traceable and tell us the test that you carried out?” Kajwang asked.

He also sought assurances on other expenditures, including Ksh349 million spent on relief food, Ksh32.8 million on water trucking, and Ksh12 million listed as cash transfers.

Senators demand clear answers

During the exchange, senators repeatedly pressed officials to explain what type of seedlings were purchased and how many farmers benefited. Kajwang expressed frustration when answers remained unclear.

“Seedlings are something you need to see,” he said. “Ksh55 million worth of seedlings is how many seedlings? If we came to Mandera to oversight this expenditure, where do we find them?”

At one point, the governor struggled to distinguish between seeds and seedlings, prompting Senator Edwin Sifuna to interject.

“Maize does not come from seedlings,” Sifuna said.

Kajwang warned against vague explanations.

“Tell us the right story, not the one you are telling us,” he said, adding that accounting rules require clear classification and evidence.

Auditors told the committee they carried out verification on a sample basis, including phone calls to some recipients and limited site visits. Senators rejected that approach as insufficient.

“Whatever you’re calling assurance here is a desktop sample,” Kajwang said. “Boots must be on the ground. This county is facing drought. We cannot rely on stories.”

The debate also touched on broader concerns about emergency spending. Kajwang questioned why Mandera had not established an emergency fund, despite frequent droughts.

Later on Friday, Kajwang said on Facebook that the committee had asked the Auditor-General to conduct a comprehensive audit of emergency-related expenditure. This includes Ksh382 million spent on relief and refugee assistance, Ksh55.9 million on seedlings, Ksh32.8 million on water trucking, and Ksh459 million on scholarships and education benefits.

“The Senate expressed grave concern that the county had not established an Emergency Fund as required by law,” Kajwang said.