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A Senate watchdog committee has directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to start investigations of alleged financial malpractices under former Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba.

The Senate Public Accounts Committee chaired by Homa Bay lawmaker Moses Kajwang’ also put to task current Governor George Natembeya over pending bills amounting to Sh856.4 million.

Trans Nzoia County government also failed to remit Sh105.3 million in statutory deductions despite having deducted the money from staff, exposing the devolved unit to penalties.

The situation was laid bare during a committee meeting considering financial statements for the county government for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021.

Khaemba’s tenure came under scrutiny over the irregular voiding of payments worth Sh824.9 million at the final stage without the approval of the Controller of Budget (COB) and without any explanation.

In his response to the queries raised, Natembeya said he had been presented with five reports by the Assumption of Office Committee when he took over, making his work difficult.

“I was presented with five reports and vouchers are still coming in even after we assumed office. They give you a report, then a week later tell you it is not complete as other vouchers keep coming in,” said the Governor.

Funds diversion

Natembeya claimed the voiding was done at the end of the financial year and some invoices had not been approved by the COB.

Auditors faulted the explanation saying the Governor should have done a communication to the COB informing the office of the steps taken.

“Without that communication then we see the action as a fraudulent deal of voiding payments already approved to pay other things,” said the auditors.

Kajwang’ said it was criminal to void payments already approved and called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to take action against the officers behind the malpractice.

Samson Cherargei (Nandi) called for the committee to summon Khaemba and the officers to respond to the issues raised.

Apart from the former governor, other officers who are facing probe are former Chief Finance Officer Emmanuel Sikuku and Bernard Madegua who served in the previous administration.

“This is a classic example of the diversion of funds to other areas not budgeted for which is unacceptable. County officials have been fond of paying suppliers for work not done or payments to areas not budgeted and this is how they get the money,” said an EACC officer attached to the committee.

Ghost workers

But Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo questioned how a governor is unable to comprehend the county’s pending bills amount.

“If people in your administration are responsible for what you are saying then you must take decisive action. This is not the Natembeya we used to know who was hailed for crashing bandits in North Rift,” said Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

The former Rift Valley regional commissioner said a staff audit report by his administration had revealed that there were 460 ghost workers on the payroll.

“Some casuals are actual people but they don’t work. They operate like ghost workers because they don’t provide any services to the county government,” he said.

Kajwang’ raised concern about casuals making up to 12 per cent of the county’s workforce with the county spending Sh260 million on them annually.

“It is an issue of governance and integrity. It is just a matter of time before we bust the cartels. I think the number of ghost workers was understated in the staff audit report,” admitted Natembeya.

The county government was also faulted for various human resource malpractices revolving around payments of staff outside the integrated personnel and payroll database (IPPD) and engagement of casuals.

Senators heard that the county government operated two payrolls, one manual and IPPD, where Sh41.8 million was paid through manual payroll without explanation.

Natembeya said 670 casuals were being paid through manual payroll as they do not have personal numbers.

“The Senate is not going to accept stories not supported by payment schedules because, under the circumstances, we cannot tell what happened,” said Kajwang’.

He went on: “You cannot come to Nairobi with documents you have not read. It is you who takes responsibility as the chief executive officer of the county government.

These are reports from three years ago and the documents should have been ready as required.

This isn’t the work of the former regime.”
Natembeya’s administration was also accused of failing in basic record-keeping.