Garissa Governor Nathif At Pains To Answer Graft Queries: "I Thought This Was Different Session"

• On Thursday, May 16, Garissa governor Nathif Jama appeared before the Senate Committee on Devolution and Inter-Governmental Relations
• Nathif had a rough time answering questions surrounding how he has been operating without chief officers for two years
• The embattled governor was put on the spot by Senator Samson Cherargei, who questioned how the county has been spending funds at the source without accounting officers

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - Garissa governor Nathif Jama struggled to answer questions before the Senate Committee on Devolution and Inter-Governmental Relations.

On Thursday, May 16, Nathif appeared before the committee to answer queries regarding the non-employment of chief officers.

He was also questioned about the alleged illegal withdrawal of county funds without following the law.

Which question did Nathif Jama fail to answer?

The drama began after Nandi senator Samson Cherargei sought to determine if the county has a substantive chief officer for health.

"Do you have a substantive chief officer of health? Of health?" Cherargei posed.

In his response, Nathif said the county has a substantive accounting officer.

"I'm saying we do have a substantive accounting officer," Nathif answered.

Cherargei sought the chair's indulgence to force the governor to answer his question correctly.

"No, Chair, you know, Governor, you are on oath through the indulgence of the chair. And you are not allowed to lie on oath. Please, governor, answer a simple question," Cheraregi said.

The governor failed to give the correct answer the second time, suggesting he thought the session would be different.

"I thought this was really a different session," the governor stated.

Senator Cherargei questioned how the county has been spending money on the Department of Health without a substantive chief officer.

Nathif's government on the spot over nepotism

Cherargei said the county has been spending more than KSh 12 million without an official accounting officer.

The embattled governor has been battling claims of corruption and nepotism in his administration.

The senators were surprised to learn that the county has had no substantive chief officer in any department for the last two years amid the claims of nepotism and corruption.

A resident told TUKO.co.ke that the governor and county secretary, Mohamud Hassan Mursal, have allegedly employed some of his close relatives in key departments, such as finance.

"He has been employing his family members and relatives in key positions within the government, such as Chief Financial Officer, Head of Payroll, and many other crucial positions for his inner family," Ahamed Abdi said.

Why the court dropped the graft case against Ali Korane

Elsewhere, a Nairobi court allowed the Director of Public Prosecution to withdraw a KSh 233 million graft case against former Garissa governor Ali Bunow Korane.

In a ruling, Chief Magistrate Zipporah Gichana said DPP had followed the correct procedure in applying for the withdrawal of the eight charges against Korane.

Proofreading by Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke