Account for project billions, Kisumu Governor Nyong’o told

Mercy Mwai @wangumarci

A House committee has asked Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o to explain the alleged misuse of billions of shillings meant for Kisumu Urban Project.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says the governor may in future be summoned to appear before the committee after his county’s staff failed to provide satisfactory answers to the State Department for Housing which is implementing the project.

Chairman Opiyo Wandayi said the use of the funds was questionable and called for investigations into the matter. 

“We know that this money is being misused. That is why accountability is becoming a problem. But I am warning you that heads will roll,” he said.

Some Sh1.5 billion has been allocated to the project since the 2018/19 financial year.

At a committee meeting with Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga, Wandayi told the department to formally engage Nyong’o to ensure they get responses on how the project was being implemented.

Wandayi said county officials should accompany the PS when he appears again before the committee on August 12.

“Come back with the team from Kisumu, we want them here,” said Wandayi.

Garissa Township MP Aden Duale said there was no way the PS can claim not to have answers to the matter yet he has appeared before the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to respond to questions touching on the matter.

City Manager

Hinga had been summoned to respond to queries raised by the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu in the 2018/2019 financial year.

In her report, Gathungu said a review of financial statements had revealed non-compliance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (Cash Basis) reporting framework as roles and responsibilities did not indicate the key qualification for the City Manager.

On funding, she said she could not confirm the accuracy and validity of the funding summary, as it  was inconsistent with the previous year’s format.

Gathungu said the funding summary did not indicate the financial year for the amount received and undrawn balance.

“The summary balance reflects the amount received to date as Sh3.962 billion yet it had an opening balance of Sh1.932 billion and receipts received during the year of Sh1.242 billion all totaling Sh3.174 billion,” reads the report.