Babu Owino Demands Sakaja’s Removal Amid Financial Scandal
Babu Owino, the Member of Parliament for Embakasi East, has sparked controversy by advocating for the removal of Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja, citing accusations of severe misconduct and mishandling of finances.
Babu’s request follows closely after a harsh audit report from the Auditor General’s office, revealing financial inconsistencies within the county.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, April 5th, Babu emphasized various troubling discoveries from the audit report covering the period up to June 2023.
These discoveries encompassed significant irregularities in obtaining assets, fictitious employees, outstanding invoices, questionable bank accounts, and undisclosed payments totaling billions of shillings.
Governor Sakaja, in his State of the County address delivered just a day prior, painted a rosy picture of Nairobi’s future, envisioning a city of order, dignity, hope, and opportunity. “We have lived up to that standard,” Sakaja remarked, referring to an end to corruption and nepotism.
However, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu’s report tells a different story.
The audit brought to light excessive spending, questionable transactions, and potentially questionable procurement of assets during Governor Sakaja’s tenure. Anomalies in payments amounting to Ksh17 million were identified, involving 26 county employees, covering areas such as salaries, rent, housing allowances, and service benefits.
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Additionally, the report pointed out a deficiency in reclaiming PAYE from the wages of 393 officers as mandated by legislation. It also identified cases where employees were receiving net salaries amounting to less than a third of their basic pay, in contradiction to established human resource policies.
One of the significant disclosures unveiled the breach of the Disability Act of 2003, as only 167 out of 13,354 county workers were identified as individuals with disabilities, significantly lower than the advised threshold of 5 percent.
In her report, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu expressed discontent with the financial records of the Nairobi County Executive, asserting that they did not faithfully depict the county’s financial status as of June 30, 2023.
“There is serious pilferage of funds in Nairobi County. There is serious defrauding of the hard-earned money for the Nairobians, and there is serious misrepresentation of funds,” lamented Babu Owino.
The audit also discovered inconsistencies in financial records, errors in outstanding accounts and debts, and unverified expenses for utilities, supplies, and services. Furthermore, Governor Sakaja’s absence from the Senate Public Accounts and Investment Committee to respond to the Auditor General’s inquiries has sparked condemnation.
Babu Owino has encouraged members of the County Assembly to take firm steps in protecting public funds and promoting accountability within Nairobi County.
Babu Owino Demands Sakaja’s Removal Amid Financial Scandal