Former Kibiri ward MCA Kennedy Ondiek has petitioned the Homa Bay County Assembly to impeach the County Executive Committee member (CEC) for Finance over alleged incompetency and inability to discharge duties.
In his petition presented to the County Assembly Clerk Daniel Kaudo, Ondiek alleged that the CEC Nicholas Koriko has violated the Financial Management Act by mismanaging the County resources.
He further alleged that from 2013 up to date the County has received about Sh48billion of which about Sh15billion cannot be accounted for, saying that the CEC has deliberately created other accounts which he uses for swindling public money.
At the same time, Ondiek accused the CEC of being an obstacle to the implementation of development projects in the County, claiming that he is the sole decision maker in the County Finance disbursement.
While addressing the press after presenting the petition, Ondiek blamed the CEC for holding the County at ransom by centralising development funds in his office instead of decentralising them to various County Departments which undertake implementation of development projects.
He further revealed that the ongoing development projects in the County like the Stadium, upgrading of Homa Bay Town, Oyugis and Nyakwere markets are donor funded in collaboration with the National Government.
“The County Government should not take pride in the ongoing projects in the region since they did not initiate them. They should use the funds given to them to initiate projects which are geared towards alleviating poverty among the populace,”Ondiek said.
The former MCA claimed that the contractors who win tenders in various County
Departments suffer because they cannot be paid promptly because Koriko has centralised the money in his department.
He appealed to the MCAs in the County Assembly of Homa Bay to debate on the petition and ensure that they impeach the CEC for a competent person to be appointed to head the finance docket for the resident to realise development in various wards in the region.
Assembly Clerk Daniel Kaudo received the petition on behalf of the Members who are expected to scrutinise it before it is taken to the Assembly Plenary for a full debate.
If the MCAs approve the motion, then their recommendation will be forwarded to Governor Cyprian Awiti for the implementation.
By Godwine Ochieng/ Davis Langat