Lawyer accuses Nairobi County speaker of withholding key revenue report

A Nairobi-based lawyer has accused Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Ken Ng'ondi of withholding a long-awaited report on the state of revenue collection in the city.

According to Lawyer Owiso Owiso, the report, compiled by an ad hoc committee, has remained undisclosed for over four months, sparking accusations of negligence and legal threats.

In a letter dated September 5, Owiso criticised Speaker Ng'ondi for withholding the report, which was supposed to be submitted to the assembly after the committee's 60-day investigation concluded.

The committee, formed in November 2023, had been tasked with examining the county's local revenue collection systems and administration following concerns over declining revenue.

“The public deserves transparency. It is now over four months since you confirmed receipt of the report, yet it has not been tabled before the assembly,” Owiso said in the letter, accusing the Speaker of blocking the release of the crucial public document.

He further demanded that the Speaker disclose the current status of the report, including the total cost incurred by the committee, and requested it be tabled immediately once the assembly resumes its sittings or provide a clear timeline for its presentation.

“Take notice that should you fail to provide the information as demanded herein within the stated timelines, we intend to take necessary legal action without further reference to you,” Owiso said in the letter, which was also copied to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.

The 11-member committee was established after a resolution by the assembly in October 2023 to identify weaknesses in the county’s revenue collection system and suggest policy and administrative interventions to improve efficiency.

Despite the initial 60-day deadline, Majority Leader Peter Imwatok moved a motion on February 14 seeking to extend the committee’s mandate by an additional 45 days, which was granted by ward representatives.

The committee was instructed to table the report by March 19, but another extension was sought, pushing the deadline to April 2, 2024.

Speaker Ng'ondi warned at the time that no further extensions would be allowed.

On April 2, the Speaker acknowledged receipt of the report and invoked standing orders to review it before committing to table it on April 16. However, the report has yet to be presented to the assembly.

In the letter, Owiso outlined specific standing orders that dictate how assembly committees should operate and emphasised the legal obligation to submit reports within a designated timeframe.

“You are standing in the way of a legal process by literally hoarding a public report in your office,” reads the letter.

Owiso further argued that taxpayers' money was used to fund the committee’s operations, making the matter of significant public interest.