Senators question release of funds to Garissa County in absence of chief officers

Senators have questioned the controller of the budget's continuous release of funds to the Garissa County government without the employment of chief officers.

Speaking on the floor of the senate, leaders said it's illegal and in violation of the Public Finance Management Act for the county to leave directors to act as Chief Accounting officers in various departments of the devolved units.

Nandi County Senator Kiprotich Cherargei termed it tragic and unfortunate, saying the county is not complete without the chief officers.

The senator said the house has powers to stop the disbursement of funds for the county, saying in law, chief officers are required to withdraw funds.

"The county government must be called to order and held accountable because we are asking who is withdrawing funds when Chief officers are not in place," he said.

The senator said the Senate Committee on Justice and the Legal Affairs and Devolution Committee should immediately summon the governor to answer why chief officers have not been recruited.

His Narok counterpart, Ledama Olekina asked how funds are released by the controller of budget to the counties without chief officers.

"According to the PFM Act, it is the Chief Officer in charge of requisition of funds to the controller of budget, who is the chief officer in Garissa?" posed the Narok senator.

"Is there any logical explanation as to why Garissa County has no chief officers? What is so difficult? Is it a clan issue," he added.

Mandera Senator Ali Roba said it's embarrassing to the region for the governor to completely act in disregard of section 45 of the County Government Act.

The senator said an accounting officer who has not been vetted by the county assembly and appointed by the Public Service Board cannot purport to hold such positions in an acting capacity.

"How do you justify that since August 2022, the governor has not been able to put in place chief officers and illegally appointed directors in acting capacity," said Senator Ali.

Ali said he does not understand whether the controller of the budget is going to release funds to people who are chief accounting officers.

Senators were reacting to a statement sought by Garissa Senator Abdul Haji regarding the state of Garissa Referral Hospital and the appointment of chief officers in the county.

The recruitment of the officers who are the chief accounting officers for their respective departments has been delayed following a disagreement between Governor Nathif Jama and the County Public Service Board- the board is mandated to advertise and hire staff in the county.

Directors in Various departments have been acting as Chief Officers for the period with the county administration now proposing a new secretary to the County Public Service Board.

Governor Nathif-led administration has already put up an advert in the local daily to start hiring 30 Chief Officers.

The bitter fallout between the Board chair Ebla Sahal who was hired during Ali Korane's regime and the current governor has seen recruitment of staff jeopardized.

When elected in August 2022, Governor Nathif dismissed over 3,000 county workers claiming that their recruitment was unprocedural, a move that saw sacked staff filing a case at labour court that is yet to be determined