Ksh1.3 Million Lost And A Dodged Senate Inquiry As Trans Nzoia Governor Natembeya’s Accountability Comes into Question

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya is on the spotlight after senators raised concerns about the loss of Ksh1.3 million in public funds.

The money was reportedly mismanaged through the use of an illegal Paybill number (770478), which was used for revenue collection.

The Senate ICT Committee, led by Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang, labeled the issue as an economic crime and called for investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

These findings came during an inquiry into the county’s revenue systems, including the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).

Governor Natembeya’s failure to attend the Senate committee session raised eyebrows, as many viewed it as an attempt to dodge accountability.

Instead, Deputy County Secretary Boniface Wanyonyi represented the county and struggled to explain how the revenue collection process operated.

When questioned about the involvement of County Executive Committee (CEC) members in revenue collection activities, Wanyonyi claimed they only oversaw operations as part of a Rapid Results Initiative (RRI).

However, this explanation did little to appease the senators, who demanded documents proving how revenue collectors were managed.

The issue goes beyond the lost funds. Trans Nzoia County has been accused of failing to meet its revenue collection targets.

The county collected only Ksh500 million out of an expected Ksh1.3 billion, a glaring shortfall that indicates inefficiency and poor financial oversight.

This has further tarnished the governor’s reputation, especially since he had previously boasted about reforms to improve revenue collection and fight corruption.

Natembeya had publicly committed to transparency and integrity in his administration, including implementing cashless payment systems to prevent corruption.

However, the existence of an illegal Paybill number and the county’s poor financial performance suggest otherwise.

His promises to sack corrupt officials and hold departments accountable seem hollow in light of these revelations.

The Finance Department, already flagged in previous audits for integrity issues, remains a weak link in the county’s governance.

Senators like Samson Cherargei criticized the governor for failing to integrate IFMIS with other revenue systems, leaving the county vulnerable to fraud.

Other lawmakers urged Trans Nzoia to collaborate with agencies like the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to seal revenue leaks. Without these changes, the county risks further losses.

The situation paints a grim picture of Natembeya’s leadership, raising doubts about his ability to manage public resources effectively.

The public and oversight bodies will now wait to see if he takes responsibility or continues to evade accountability.