For two days, top Nakuru County Government executives were questioned by the County Assembly regarding various issues, including alleged misuse of funds, failed projects, and unaccountability. The grilling exposed the County Executive Committee Members' (CECMs) lack of knowledge on certain issues, particularly those related to their specific departments. This intense scrutiny aimed to hold the executives accountable for their actions and decisions.
John Kihagi, the CECM for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development, struggled to explain why the county did not have an Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) land in Gilgil, despite paying Sh4.47 million for the land. Kihagi confirmed that they had intended to purchase Bombo ECDE land in Gilgil for Sh6 million in 2024 but were unable to provide updates on the land's status. An MCA from Gilgil intervened, revealing that the land was still in private ownership.
Kihagi faced criticism for not requesting that the sellers surrender part of the land equivalent to Sh4.49 million. The CECM attributed the delay in resolving the issue to the need for negotiations due to a signed agreement. He was also questioned about public statements made by Governor Susan Kihika and members of his department regarding the elevation of certain towns to municipalities without proper documentation. Kihagi's explanation that some pronounced centers would not be elevated sparked controversy among the MCAs.
The CEC for Education and ICT, Zipporah Ngugi, and her department were questioned about Sh162 million allegedly set aside for bursaries in the 2025/2026 Financial Year. Despite the department's accountant claiming that the money was safe in the revenue account, the department failed to provide documents to prove this. The MCAs expressed dissatisfaction with the answers and urged the committee to provide documents within a week or face action, including impeachment.
Engineer Michael Kamau, the CECM for Roads, Transport, and Public Works, faced criticism for failing to explain the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) deal on roads. MCAs raised concerns that despite the county agreeing with the National Youth Service (NYS) to carry out road construction, the NYS was not on the ground. The chair of the Implementation Committee, John Mwangi, questioned why the roads were taking so long and why they were being graded by the county government instead of NYS.
The MCAs also expressed frustration that some departments were not taking the summons issued to them seriously, as some appeared without required documents and relevant officers. The grilling is expected to continue in the coming weeks. The intense scrutiny of the Nakuru County Government executives reflects the County Assembly's efforts to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of county funds and projects.
The outcome of the grilling and potential actions against the CECMs will be closely watched by residents of Nakuru County, who expect their leaders to manage public funds and projects efficiently. The County Assembly's efforts to hold the executives accountable demonstrate its commitment to good governance and the responsible use of public resources.
Key points
- The Nakuru County Government executives faced intense scrutiny over alleged misuse of funds, failed projects, and unaccountability.
- The CECMs' lack of knowledge on certain issues, particularly those related to their specific departments, was exposed during the grilling.
- The County Assembly urged the departments to provide documents within a week or face action, including impeachment.
