Busia County Governor Paul Otuoma appeared before the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC) on Monday, 24 March 2025, after being summoned to respond to questionable financial expenditures highlighted in the recent Auditor General’s report. The Governor faced a rigorous question-and-answer session with committee members over a series of unaccounted spending made by his administration.
This scrutiny follows the Auditor General’s report, identifying significant financial irregularities within Otuoma’s administration. Concerns about questionable spending have been raised not only by the Auditor General but also by Members of Parliament (MPs) from Busia’s seven constituencies, including Senator Okiya Omtata. Since last year, these MPs have repeatedly challenged the Governor over the apparent misuse of taxpayer funds, pointing to the lack of tangible development projects across the county despite substantial public funding from the National Treasury.
A close associate of the Governor, who requested anonymity to protect their position within the county government, stated: “Dr. Otuoma was summoned by the Senate to answer questions concerning audit reports from Busia Water, Busia Municipality, Malaba Municipality, and Busia Referral Hospital for the 2023/24 period.”
The Governor also addressed concerns about the employment of individuals within his County Government who lacked proper qualifications and had neither applied nor gone through the required interview processes for the positions they currently hold, as mandated by law.
Dr. Otuoma was accompanied by at least four members of the County Executive Committee (CECs), including his Director of Communications, Oscar Obonyo, and other county officials during the session.
Another key focus for the Senate Committee was the county’s Integrated Financial Management Systems (IFMIS), particularly the cash books, vote books, and procurement processes. The Committee examined the awarding of tenders and contracts, as well as the identities of the proprietors of the companies involved.
Just before the Senate’s summons, Busia Senator Okiya Omtata had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Governor, demanding documents related to these financial transactions. Omtata warned that failure to comply would lead to legal action against the Governor and members of his administration.
Part of Omtata’s letter read: “Please take note that if I do not receive your response this time, I will have to file a motion in court in the public interest, at your risk as to the costs, for the appropriate orders, and I shall do so without further recourse to Your Excellency.” He added: “I will be most grateful to receive the information and documents sought in this and my earlier letter within seven calendar days.”
The Busia Water and Sewerage Company, responsible for providing water across the county, is already embroiled in multi-million-shilling scandals. These involve water supply issues not only in Busia town but also in major towns such as Butula, Bumala, Malaba, Nambale, Port Victoria, Sio Port, and Funyula. The situation is compounded by the collapse of Busia town’s water treatment system. Although large sums of money have been allocated to these projects, there is scant evidence of progress or successful outcomes. This ongoing situation has sparked alarm among the public and elected representatives, who are now demanding accountability for the millions of shillings reportedly spent by the county government.
