By F, KNA
Kiambu Governor, Kimani Wamatangi, on Monday appeared before the Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee (CPAC) to respond to audit queries raised by the Auditor General, becoming one of the few county chiefs to honor summons by and amid a standoff with the Council of Governors (CoG).
Accompanied by a full delegation from the Kiambu County Executive, Governor Wamatangi faced the committee chaired by Homa Bay, Senator Moses Kajwang’, at Bunge Towers in Nairobi.
His appearance came even as several governors boycotted the committee over claims of extortion and political witch-hunt, with the CoG having resolved to suspend further engagements.
In a firm defense of his decision, Governor Wamatangi told the senators that accountability for public resources lies squarely with the county government and not the CoG.
“The responsibility to account for resources allocated to Kiambu as a distinct entity rests squarely with the governor as the chief executive officer of the county. My appearance before you are not by mistake but by intention, and we shall appear here again when called upon,” he said.
The committee, which had earlier grilled Narok Governor, Patrick ole Ntutu, and Kitui Governor, Dr Julius Malombe, warmly received the Kiambu team. Senators commended the county for prudent utilization of devolved funds and for demonstrating strong accountability.
Nandi Senator, Samson Cherargei, hailed Governor Wamatangi’s leadership, saying Kiambu County had never been as stable as it is under his administration.
“Kiambu has never been stable as a county government until the era of Kimani Wamatangi,” Sen. Cherargei said, citing notable progress in early childhood development centers, the county feeding program, and investments in the health sector. He urged the governor to remain focused on service delivery and ignore political distractions, stressing that Senate oversight is based strictly on audit reports and not persecution.
Committee Chair Sen. Moses Kajwang’ noted that Kiambu County is now in a better position for objective scrutiny compared to previous administrations. He highlighted the county’s impressive growth in own-source revenue reportedly by Sh2 billion over three years and said the committee would seek to understand the drivers behind the increase.
“There are people full of impunity who do not want to account for the resources sent to their counties. We cannot keep allocating funds to counties without accountability,” Sen. Kajwang’ said, directing the message at governors still hiding behind the CoG.
Governor Wamatangi assured the committee of his administration’s commitment to transparency, saying the people of Kiambu elected him to manage their resources responsibly.
The session forms part of the Senate’s ongoing oversight of county finances for the financial year under review. Kiambu County Government officials expressed confidence that all queries will be satisfactorily addressed.