Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko was due for grilling on Monday but instead sent Charles Kerich, county executive in charge of the Land docket.
Senators refused to listen to Mr Kerich insisting that only the governor could address the issues Mr Ouko raised in the audit for 2014/15 financial year.
Mr Sonko, through his county secretary, had written to MPs informing them that he was unwell and needed the meeting rescheduled.
Parliament has summoned Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko for failing to appear before a House committee to answer questions raised by Auditor-General Edward Ouko.
Mr Sonko was due for grilling on Monday but instead sent Charles Kerich, county executive in charge of the Land docket.
The Senate County Public Investment Committee refused to listen to Mr Kerich insisting that only the governor could address the issues Mr Ouko raised in the audit for 2014/15 financial year.
The audit queries relate to the period when former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero was in office.
“The Senate will not be taken into a charade and our business is to have the governor appear before us and answer how billions of money was spent in the county. We cannot listen to a county secretary who has written to us,” said Moses Kajwang’(Homa Bay) who chairs the committee.
Mr Sonko, through his county secretary, had written to MPs informing them that he was unwell and needed the meeting rescheduled. He sent Mr Kerich, the acting executive in charge of Finance with all responses the governor was supposed to present.
“I am not the governor neither am I the acting deputy governor. I am here on behalf of the governor to explain why he did not make it,” Mr Kerich said.
Mr Kajwang’ said the session could not proceed because Mr Sonko cannot be allowed to delegate the responsibility of responding to audit questions to CECs or any other officials in his administration.
“Governors have constitutional obligation to personally appear before this committee. They cannot hide behind CECs or any other person.
“They must appear before in person to give an account of how they spend the funds allocated to counties he said.
“Rules must apply without alterations in regards to all the 47 county governors and Nairobi cannot be an exception,” Mr Kajwang ruled before sending Mr Kerich back.
Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri said Mr Sonko had wasted their time given that he had to travel last night to Nairobi to attend the meeting.
“I had to travel all the way from Kisii to attend this meeting only to be told that the governor will not be attending.
“He must furnish this committee with a letter from the physician as prove that he is indeed sick,” he said.
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