Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya is now in hot soup after senators resolved to issue a warrant of arrests against him over his failure to appear before a senate committee.
Consequently the committee has also resolved to write to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) to officially ask them not to clear Oparanya to contest in the August 8 general election.
According to senators, they will be forwarding to IEBC and EACC the auditor general report as well as their recommendations in regards to the 2013/2014 financial year showing that despite mis-appropriations of funds running in to billions of shillings the governor had declined to appear before a senate committee.
At a meeting convened by the Senate County Public Accounts Committee chaired by Anyang Nyong’o, the senators want the inspector general of Police Joseph Boinnet to force Oparanya to appear before it. Said Nyong’o: “we are going to issue warrants of arrests in respect to 2014/2015 financial year and we are also going to write to IEBC and DPP not to clear him to run in the general election.”
While contributing to the matter, senators present said that the senate must be respected adding that those charged with managing public finances must be accountable for their actions.
During the session, Committee members led by Vice Chairman Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo said the County Chief barred from defending his seat, as he has refused to be held accountable by the Senate. Lonyangapuo said that Oparanya has no business seeking re-election as he has failed to be held accountable to the people of Kakamega, and the rest of the Country.
He said: “I have never heard of this drama where the CEO is governor and refuses to be held accountable. So far 46 governors have honored summons, only one person has simply refused to appear before us. The clock is ticking.”
Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi said the agencies should declare the Governor unfit to hold public office as he has broken the law, by refusing to account for public funds remitted to the county by Treasury.
He said: “we should issue warrants of arrests, we should also follow up the matter with EACC and IEBC telling them that the committee has serious reservations on the clearance of these candidates to ensure that public resources are safe guarded.”
Oparanya has snubbed all invitations to appear before the committee to answer audit queries raised by the Auditor General on spending by his administration, in the 2014/2015 financial year.
