Bungoma County Assembly Adhoc Committee on Budget Implementation has summoned key County Officials to shed light on the status of various projects.
The nine member Committee chaired by Khalaba MCA Hon. Majimbo Okumu was formed to look into the status of projects for the financial year 2015/2016, look into bursary allocations status and further find out why the County has huge pending bills.
The Controller of Budget Mrs. Agnes Odhiambo has previously pointed out during a grilling session by the Senate that Bungoma County has the highest pending bills at Ksh. 2.5 billion.
Among those summoned is the County Secretary Mr. Murumba Chiuli, the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Finance Mr. Paul Masinde, his Chief Officer Mr. Chrispinus Barasa, a number of other CEC Members and Chief Officers.
The Officers will appear before the Committee at different intervals between Monday and Friday next week.
The Adhoc Committee was formed following a standoff between the Executive led by Governor Kenneth Lusaka and the County Assembly over the release of funds for projects funded under the community empowerment fund.
This forced the County Assembly to adjourn for close to a month.
The committee will specifically seek to find out how much money had been disbursed for projects to each of the 47 wards under the community empowerment fund.
Each ward was allocated 28million for projects under the Community empowerment fund this year.
The Members of the County have complained that with very few months remaining to the close of the financial year, the funds are yet to be released for projects in the wards.
The committee will additionally seek to establish how much money has been disbursed as bursaries to each of the 45 wards in the 2015/2016 financial year.
There has been a public outcry over a delay in the disbursement of the bursary funds forcing many learners who depend on the kitty to be send away from schools.
Hon. Majimbo said his Committee will further establish how much money the County owes contractors in pending bills.
The County has been in the red books with contractors over delays in payments. The County is said to owe contractors more than Ksh. 2billion in pending bills.
Few months ago, Hon Majimbo tabled in the County Assembly a circular from the Governor to all CEC Members directing them to suspend all new projects until the Ksh. 2.5 billion pending bills debt is cleared.
The Committee has 21 days within which to conclude its work and give recommendations to the County Assembly.
The report of the committee, Mr. Majimbo said will have recommendations that will seek to streamline operations and ensure strict adherence to the budget as approved by the County Assembly.
