The Senate Public Investments and Accounts committee (PIAC) failed to inspect various projects in Nyamira County on Tuesday citing lack of preparedness from the County executive and absence of the area Senator Okong’o Omogeni.
The Committee which is chaired by Migori County Senator Dr. Ochillo Ayacko told journalists that the County executive under the leadership of Governor Amos Nyaribo requested the committee for more time to prepare on various matters including familiarizing themselves with the audit reports of the county before they can embark on the process.
“We had come to Nyamira County to carry out a monitoring exercise of selected projects in the county but we have rescheduled it to Friday when the executive will be fully prepared to respond to some issues from the auditor general’s report,” Senator Ayacko said.
“The other reason is honoring the area Senator’s request who is not present today to be part of the entire monitoring team as he is held up somewhere today on official duty and could not join us why we have agreed to carry out the two exercises on Friday,” Ayacko told the press in Nyamira town.
Ayacko further said the committee will want to establish the real status of various identified projects within the county in comparison with accountability queries in the auditor general’s formal report concerning them.
He clarified that the Senate’s business is oversight and to monitor how public funds are being used and with that the committee will have to take up the task of monitoring all the projects in various devolved units so that Kenyans get value for their money.
Some of the projects that had been put on the spotlight include construction of the new multi-million County Assembly office block, Governor’s office, Manga stadium amongst many others which have not been completed despite the end of the contract period.
Among the PIAC members who accompanied Ayacko include Deputy Senate Majority leader, also Isiolo senator Fatuma Dhulo and Turkana’s Senator Prof. Malachy Charles Imana.
Governor Amos Nyaribo will face the committee today in a physical sitting to be held in Kisii County assembly premises.
By Deborah Bochere and Dan Nyamanga
