Vihiga governor Moses Akaranga has said that he is ready to appear before senate finance committee to clear his name on claims of misuse of county funds. This is after a local, Julius Masiva, petitioned the senate to verify if development funds meant for the county had been misappropriated.
Masiva had formally requested the senate to question the use of Kshs 1.6 billion the county had received in the 2014/2015 financial year.
He claimed that the Vihiga county government had channelled development funds for other purposes including funding projects that are not devolved. “We want the governor to come clean and tell us why he used the funds in building schools yet the education sector is not devolved,” said Masiva in the letter addressed to the senate.
The governor while speaking at Galona Secondary School in Hamisi Sub County said the issue should not be politicized and asked the senate to complete its investigations.
“I will appear before the finance committee and absolve myself from the claims and will continue offering services to our people,” said Akaranga while presenting a Kshs 500,000 cheque to the school for construction.
Akaranga said development funds channelled to the county government has been correctly used to initiate projects that are beneficial to the locals. The Vihiga governor added that his development record speaks volumes and asked the residents to re-elect him as the area governor for his last term.
Senate deputy speaker who is also Murang’a senator Kembi Gitura had asked the finance committee to probe the governor and release the report within 60 days.