Senate team fines Kihika Sh500,000 for ignoring summons
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika.
What you need to know:
- Mr Osotsi also wondered why Ms Kihika had repeatedly failed to honour the summons considering that she was not the governor during the period under probe.
- He said the committee was not satisfied with the reasons given by Ms Kihika for skipping the summons as she was seen gracing public events within the country despite saying she was not in Kenya.
The Senate has fined Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika Sh500,000 for failing to honour summons to appear before the House on three separate occasions.
The Senate's County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, chaired by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, issued the fine on Monday while ordering the county boss to pay by July 4, 2023, the fresh date on which she has been summoned afresh to appear before the team.
Ms Kihika had been summoned to appear before the committee over use of funds by the Nakuru Water and Sewerage Company during the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21. Mr Lee Kinyanjui was the governor of Nakuru during the audit period.
Ms Osotsi said the committee had sent summons to the governor three times but she declined all while stating that she was out of the country. He said the committee was not satisfied with the reasons given by Ms Kihika for skipping the summons as she was seen gracing public events within the country on these occasions.
“The committee has looked at the matter and made a decision that we are going to fine her Sh500,000 which will be paid to this committee. This fine will not be paid from county coffers but from her personal resources,” said Mr Osotsi.
Mr Osotsi also wondered why Ms Kihika had repeatedly failed to honour the summons considering that she was not the governor during the period under probe.
“President William Ruto has clearly insisted that summons need to be respected. We are currently summoning Cabinet Secretaries in the Houses and they appear. Nobody is above the law,” said nominated senator Tabitha Mutinda, who is a member of the committee.
