Assembly Deputy Speaker Boaz Okoth (L), Governor Okoth Obado (C) and Majority Leader Richard Solo at a recent press conference
Migori county residents have criticized the county assembly for failing to play its watch dog role against corruption by the executive.
Assembly members have been blamed for not raising alarm on close to Sh400million corruption over skewed tendering process as shown by an audit report.
Led by Uriri politician Omondi Gwonyo and leaders allied to the Orange Democratic Movement party, residents said alarm on corruption in the county has only been raised by leaders from outside the county.
Addressing the press yesterday, they claimed the high allowance on MCAs by the assembly has “bought their silence” against criticising governor Okoth Obado.
The last Controller of Budget report showed that Migori MCAs allowance of Sh125.6m which passed their allocation by 116.2 per cent was the third highest nationally.
“Cushioned by the huge allowances, Migori MCAs have chosen to remain silent on corruption and shy away from playing their watchdog role,” he said.
ODM politician Samuel Obrien and the party’s Secretary General Joseph Olala, said county residents don’t feel represented by the assembly and said MCAs allied to the party, which is the majority have failed to tow the party’s line.
“No MCA or any committee in the house has given any statement over the audit report condemning corruption in county as they have gone to bed with the executive,” Obrien charged.
The leaders said that even after ODM party issued a statement against apology over Migori shoe incident MCA allied to ODM went ahead to State House for apology.
“ODM MCAs who went to State House did so at their own personal level and to get allowances from county government. The party had nothing to apologise as we were not involved in planning,” Olala said.
But speaking to the Star over the phone, assembly Speaker Gordon Ogolla defended the assembly saying they have been playing their oversight role.
“The allowances were high because we had initially budgeted with 40 elected members before we had a surplus of 13 nominated ones,” he said.
He said the high allowances were also caused by special sitting to approval appointments, public participation forums and preparation of county strategic paper and development plan.
“We had our allowances paid within our budget, what the controller didn’t indicate is that we funded it with a supplementary budget,” he said.
He said they have been playing their watchdog role as they have several reports on excess of the executive but said they were yet to official receive notification of an audit report which showed over Sh300million couldn’t be accounted for in Migori.
“As the chairman of the financial department in the assembly, we are yet to get official notification which we will forward to the board and assembly for discussion,” he said.
