The Bungoma County government is on the spot over 86 vehicles abandoned in various garages across the county. The cars either broke down or were involved in accidents.
The matter came before the county assembly after MCAs started looking into why the county was seeking to spend Sh50 million on leasing vehicles when it had a good number scattered in garages that could work if maintained.
The Public Administration and ICT Committee established that the county government needs Sh19 million to reclaim the grounded vehicles. Some of the vehicles have been grounded for the past six years and incurred storage charges at garages.
While investigating the matter, the committee found that most of the vehicles were grounded during former Governor Ken Lusaka’s tenure, and that current county boss Wycliffe Wangamati's administration had not addressed the issue.
"We have several county vehicles that have been abandoned in CMC Kitale. Some are at Teranova Toyota in Kanduyi while some are grounded in several jua kali garages across the county," said Mr Majimbo Okumu, the chairman of the Public Accounts and Administration Committee.
In its report on the status of movable assets (automobiles) in the county since 2013, which he tabled in the assembly, the team highlighted the glaring misuse of public resources by the county administration, citing the poor maintenance of vehicles.
At Toyota Kericho, for instance, the storage bill stands at Sh1.6 million, at CMC Kitale Sh11.2 million, at Terraniva Autospares Sh2.45 million, Kerre Auto-Garage Sh3.17 million and Wape Garage Sh839,562.
It has also emerged that about 111 motorcycles belonging to the county are missing and cannot be accounted for.
The committee seized the matter following a statement sought by Musikoma Ward MCA George Makari on October 6, 2021.
Mr Makari sought to ascertain the condition and location of all county automobiles for purposes of accountability and to inform future management and procurement decisions. He sought to know how many vehicles the county government had.
Mr Makari wanted a list of the number of vehicles that came from the national government when devolution began, those from the defunct local government and those that were purchased by the county government.
According to the committee report adopted by MCAs, a number of vehicles were in good condition but had been detained in various garages where they were taken for servicing because the accrued fees had not been settled.
Interestingly, the county executive had proceeded to request the approval of Sh50 million for leasing vehicles
Mr Okumu said the committee established that there was wastage of public resources and negligence regarding county vehicles.
MCAs have, consequently, given the executive a 14-day ultimatum to ensure the grounded vehicles are recovered.
The assembly also noted that the county government lacks a structured fleet tracking system and a robust transport management unit and leadership.
The vehicles were deposited in garages by drivers for repair without approvals and documents from the relevant county departments.
"We want to have a fleet management unit since there is no organisation in management of county vehicles, while some are being driven carelessly by drivers and during odd hours," Mr Okumu said.
