DG shifts blame to director of procurement over Sh1.12m chair

Besieged Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol put up a spirited fight to exonerate himself from four grounds of impeachment levelled against him by the County Assembly.
Oduol, who took to the witness stand to rebut the accusations, charged that the allegations were scandalous and frivolous and asked the Senate Special Committee to dismiss the allegations.
Yesterday, Oduol at the same time told the committee chaired by Elgeyo Marakwet lawmaker William Kisang that he was shocked that his County Executive could procure a seat worth Sh1.12 million and requested a thorough probe on the purchase.
Instead, Oduol wants the Senate or other authorities to establish how the County spent Sh1.1million on a standard chair.
“I am tongue-tied and shocked that we spent Sh1million on such a chair. I did not coerce County Offices to procure the chair. I think the chair is ergonomic and not orthopedic as has been claimed. I was not involved in procurement, valuation and purchase. I asked for the invoice but was not supplied,” said Oduol.
He, however, shifted the blame to the county director of procurement and accounting officer for the procurement.
He went on, “If indeed and as has been alleged here, that Sh18 million was used to renovate my office without the same being budgeted for, then it is the head of procurement and accounting officer to take responsibility.”
While accusing his political nemesis, the County Assembly, of being the accuser, prosecutor and jury during his trial at the Assembly, Oduol called on the Senate committee to dismiss the allegations, charging that the grounds for impeachment have not met the threshold.
“The grounds laid here do not meet the threshold for impeachment. They are scandalous and frivolous,” said Oduol.
In his defence, Oduol explained to the committee that a plot was hatched to remove him from office after the County Assembly constituted a special committee to look into his allegations that funds were being misappropriated at the County Executive.
The Deputy Governor said his reinforced security was withdrawn after he starting making noise on what he termed as ‘maladministration’ by the county officials.
Reinforced security
“I did not want to be painted with the corruption brush. My reinforced security was withdrawn when I started making noise in public about the maladministration going in Siaya County,” he said.
While being taken to task by Assembly’s legal counsel Willis Otieno, Oduol failed to explain how the local arrangement to reinforce his security resulted in him suffering any prejudice.
Oduol claimed that the County Assembly has been emasculated by the Executive, adding that the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) have been drawing huge allowances from the county coffers.
Oduol described himself as a hunter becoming the hunted for drawing the attention of the County of Siaya to how funds were being pilfered by the County Executive. “The nature of my impeachment at the county assembly level was narrow, ill-informed, limited, misguided and choreographed to favour those abetting high crimes. I have been targeted simply because I am opposed to maladministration, I have challenged the status quo and insisted on strict internal controls. I am the proverbial hunter that has becomes the hunted,” said Oduol.
He went on: “The drawing of political lines informs and oils the motivation behind the impeachment motion against me. Throughout Siaya county and even among sons and daughters of Siaya living away from home, the prosecution and my subsequent impeachment at the county assembly has failed to ignite the passions of the whole community.”
Orengo;s principal assistant noted that his impeachment was done in an impartial, ill-informed and unfair.
Double jeopardy
“I was the whistle-blower. The County’s oversight committee made a determination. I am suffering a double jeopardy.”
“Only on my deathbed will they pilfer, steal and expropriate your money. I am still committed to delivering our nine points manifesto. But even as we deliver this, basic tenets that informed our coming to power must and will always be observed…. Good governance, rule of law, transparency and accountability including active public participation. Stay tuned over the next two days, as we unpack the Siaya and the leadership that you should never elect,” he vowed.
Oduol insisted that Siaya has become sick through the alleged siphoning of public funds and vowed that he was ready to be the sacrificial lamb to save the county.