Senate fines former Kitui governor Charity Ngilu for ignoring summons

Former Kitui governor Charity Ngilu is facing penalties for failing to appear before the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee to address concerns over the Kitui County Textile Centre (Kicotec).

Ngilu was expected to appear before the committee on Monday, October 7, 2024, but she did not honour the summons, prompting swift action from the Senate.

In response, the committee imposed a Sh500,000 fine on the former governor, citing her failure to cooperate with the investigation into Kicotec's financial statements and land ownership matters.

A new summons has been issued, with Ngilu required to attend a future session on a date that will be communicated later.

"The Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee has imposed a Sh500,000 fine on former Kitui governor Charity Ngilu for failing to honour summons regarding the Kitui County Textile Centre’s financial statements and land ownership issues. The committee has issued a fresh summons for her appearance at a date to be confirmed," read the statement from Parliament.

Ngilu was summoned to shed light on the financial challenges and management concerns identified in Kicotec's audit reports for the fiscal years 2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22. The committee had specifically noted irregularities and potential threats to the sustainability of the textile centre.

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, who chairs the committee, stressed the importance of Ngilu's presence to resolve the issues.

"We cannot get to the bottom of this matter without the presence of the former governor. I hereby, on behalf of the committee, resolve that we issue a fresh summons for her reappearance and fine her Sh500,000 for her non-appearance today according to the standing orders," said Osotsi.

Kicotec's financial records

Ngilu was initially summoned on August 29, 2024, after the committee convened to review Kicotec's financial records.

The Auditor General's reports for the three fiscal years revealed significant concerns regarding financial management and the overall operation of the textile centre, which was a flagship project during Ngilu's time as governor.

Despite Ngilu's absence, the Senate committee questioned former Kitui County Chief Officer of Trade and Investments, Justus Makau, who appeared before them.

During the session, Makau faced tough inquiries regarding Kicotec's occupation of land belonging to the Syongila Vocational Training Centre.

Narok Senator Ledama Olekina, a member of the committee, pressed Makau for details on the ownership and legality of the land that Kicotec occupies.

"Show us the lease agreement and purchase documents, or rather admit that you forcefully took over the land," Senator Olekina said.

Makau was also questioned about irregular financial practices within Kicotec, particularly frequent cash withdrawals from the company's bank accounts by two officials, Georgina Musembi and Faith Muna.

The committee expressed concern over these withdrawals, raising red flags about possible mismanagement of funds.

The Senate committee made it clear that the ongoing inquiry into Kicotec's finances and land ownership is critical for resolving the challenges the textile centre faces.

They emphasised that full cooperation from all officials involved, including Ngilu, is necessary for transparency and accountability.

In its directive, the committee invoked Article 125 of the Constitution and sections 18 and 20 of the Parliamentary (Powers and Privileges) Act of 2017, compelling Ngilu and other former top county officials involved in Kicotec's management to appear before the Senate.

The inquiry is expected to continue, with the committee hopeful that the former governor and other key figures will finally cooperate to resolve the financial and operational issues plaguing Kicotec.