Counties seek extra cash for governors’ mansions

Counties are pushing for extra funds to complete mansions for top executives despite more pressing concerns over lack of adequate health centres to handle the ravaging Covid-19.

Senate’s Finance and Budget committee Wednesday said it had rejected a number of requests from counties seeking to be exempted from the current spending caps to enable them finish headquarters, assembly offices and mansions for governors and speakers.

The Controller of Budget (CoB) has so far refused to release funds beyond the caps set for infrastructure projects, exposing counties with ongoing projects to risk of legal suits.

The devolved units likely to be hit hardest are West Pokot, Mandera, Kwale, Meru and Marsabit which had awarded contracts for construction of the facilities way above Senate ceilings.

Mr Mohamed Mohamoud, who chairs the committee, said in a report that the Senate has no mandate to revise the caps it set last year.

“We have no power to revise contractual agreements or refuse to release funds to counties as that is the work of counties and the CoB,” Mr Mohamoud said while moving debate on the report on county governments infrastructure projects.

Counties have in recent weeks come on the spot light over their spending priorities after it turned out that majority lack critical care units to handle a full-blown Covid-19 outbreak.

Last year, the Senate approved a report setting the cost of building a governor’s residence at Sh45 million while that for a deputy governor and assembly speaker was capped at Sh35 million.

The houses were also to be limited to a two-acre piece of land. Senators further set the cost of constructing offices for county executive committee members at Sh500 million while that of building county assembly chambers was to be determined by the number of ward representatives.

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior said it will make a joke for the Senate to approve construction of a house for a governor that cost Sh258 million.

“Most counties were aware about recommendation by this House, but they rushed and entered into some of the contracts.

“In Kwale, they entered into contracts to build governor residence at Sh149 million, Meru (Sh127 million) and Marsabit (Sh247 million). There is no justification for those residences to be worth this money,” Mr Kilonzo who is a member of the Finance committee said.

Marsabit Senator Gordana Hargura said counties are staring at litigation because contractors have started threatening to move to court.