Bungoma governor ken Lusaka is on the spot for operating 352 commercial bank accounts.
The Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee believe that this had created a loophole for corruption.
The governors Finance CEC admitted that he did not know Caren Makona, also known as Naliaka, who is a signatory to more than 70 bank accounts.
Some of the accounts dated back in 2010 before the onset of devolution and had the same signatories.
“We would like governor Lusaka to tell us whether the law was followed in opening up these bank accounts since it is very clear that some of these bank accounts go back to 2010 before the onset of devolution with the same signatories up to now,” said Mohammed Chute.
The committee directed the Governor to provide additional information, including the names of individual managing the accounts with a detailed report on the accounts within three weeks.
“We are directing Governor Lusaka to furnish the committee with full identities of the four individuals whose names appear as signatories to multiple accounts as well as copies of the last audited reports of all the 352 commercial accounts,” noted the committee chairman, Sheikh Abbass Wajir Senator.
The committee further directed Lusaka’s administration to provide guidelines given by the Danish International Development and other donors on the management of their grants.
On the other hand, Lusaka told the committee that his administration operates 146 health facility and dispensary accounts, 152 for vocational training centres as well as 10 for other public funds.
Other accounts include nine for special purpose and one for project management, sub-county imprest (nine), Mabanga operation (two), level four for own source revenue collection.
Governor Ken Lusaka further stated that the county was already operating 146 bank accounts before the operationalization of the Public Finance Management (County Government) Regulations 2015, this was to ensure that there is smooth transition and avoid interrupting service delivery.
He continued by stating the accounts were established with the approval of the Controller of Budget and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
“I would like to state that these accounts are fully audited and included in our quarterly financial statements. We have made progress and we are committed to ensure regulations 82(1)(b) of the Public Finance Management (County Government) Regulations, 2015, is adhered to and shall continuously appraise the office of the Controller of Budget (COB),” he noted.
