Governor Jonathan Bii Stumbles in Senate Hot Seat Over Ksh654M
The Senate Committee on County Public Accounts scrutinized Uasin Gishu County Governor Jonathan Bii on Monday over Ksh654 million in county funds that remain unaccounted for.
During the proceedings, senators instructed Bii to submit a breakdown detailing the county’s expenditure of the missing funds during the 2022/23 fiscal year.
Governor Bii, summoned to address discrepancies flagged in an Auditor General’s report, could not produce a reconciliation statement explaining the fund’s allocation.
“You must provide a breakdown of how the Ksh654 million was spent. If not, this committee will be forced to conclude that the funds were embezzled,” Committee Chair Moses Kajwang’ warned.
The financial irregularity emerged after revenue account records showed that the county received Ksh9.3 billion in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
However, the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) recorded county transactions totaling Ksh9.9 billion, revealing a Ksh654 million gap.
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In his defense, Governor Bii claimed the additional Ksh648 million was a carryover from the prior administration during the 2019/20 fiscal year and assured that a reconciliation of all outstanding debts would appear in the 2024/25 financial report.
The senators found this justification inadequate, reminding the governor that government operations are continuous and that he should be informed of all county matters, regardless of his time in office.
“You’re the Governor, and your lack of tenure during that time is irrelevant,” Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna asserted.
The governor also faced scrutiny over his administration’s payment of Ksh6.2 million to a law firm for representing the county in a Ksh40 million mediation, despite the matter being handled virtually, which should have reduced costs substantially.
The Advocates Remuneration Order outlines the subject matter’s value calculation, which includes a trial preparation fee (one-quarter of the instruction fee), a fee for drafting court documents (charged per page), and a fee for reviewing correspondence.
Governor Jonathan Bii Stumbles in Senate Hot Seat Over Ksh654M
