The immediate former Vihiga County Assembly Speaker Hasna Mudeizi could soon be facing the Ethics and Anti-Corruption sleuths after serious financial misappropriations were revealed by the Auditor General. The Auditor revealed cases of financial misappropriation at the county Assembly during her tenure.
According to the report, the former Speaker approved irregular payment of salary advances worth Ksh.3,114,000 to staff members. However, an examination of personnel records revealed that officers were issued with salary advances above the employees’ net salaries. Further, most of the salary advances were issued to Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) and a few non-permanent staff of the county while in some instances, salary advances request forms did not reflect the amount to be recovered and the recovery period making the applications incomplete.
In the circumstances, the propriety of the expenditure amounting to Ksh.3,114,000 under other grants and transfers could not be confirmed. The report also revealed that some fictitious payments were made for activities outside the County Assembly precincts during the year under review.
According to the report, management paid Ksh.8,760,500 to the County Assembly leadership and secretariat for activities outside the County Assembly precincts. These activities were carried out without approval contrary to section 169 of the County Assembly Standing orders which states that any sitting of a committee shall be held at such place, date and time as shall be determined by the Chairperson or on a petition made by at least seven members of that committee but no meeting of a Committee may be held outside the precincts of County Assembly without the approval of the Speaker. Consequently, management is in breach of the law.
