Kwale County government is on the spotlight once again for the wrong reasons after a leaked letter from the department of health landed in the hands of investigative agencies.
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The well detailed letter exclusively seen by this writer and written by Principal Accountant Mr.Hamisi Ndegwa unmasks the unchecked misappropriation of funds at the county.
The letter puts Health Chief Officers Athumani Hamisi Mwashando (Preventive and Public Health) and Kitsao Mjimba Kalume (Curative) on the spot for orchestrating theft of public funds against the regulations of the PFM Act.
The two are calpable for diversion of funds and manipulation of tender processes and blatantly directing the Principal Account to process illegalities.
The health department in the county is among sectors that have serious audit queries from both the Auditor General and the Controller of Budget.
The current scandal revolves around diverting funds meant for pending bills. It is understood that a special meeting in relation to the same was held on Friday night, led by Deputy Governor Josephat Chirema Kombo.
The diversion of the said funds means that the county is staring at a big crisis in terms of pending bills that will further skyrocket.
Insiders say that Governor Fatuma Achani was heard in a heated meeting lamenting over the conduct of the two Chief Officers and one Bakari Hassan Sebe (Executive Committee Member for Finance and Economic planning) whom she told to solve the issue lest they are sent home packing.
The internal memo, letter tells it all that there is a huge gap between some Chief Officers and the finance department that is led by Mr. Sebe and chief officer Alex Onduko.
“You either fix that mess before it lands to the National intelligence services or escalates to controller of budget. Or you both go home.”
Achani told them normally the principal accountant gets a full list of projects and companies from the procurement template, he then forwards the same to the Chief Officers for approval and budget allocation.
But shockingly the Chief Officers have been diverting funds and further budget for payment of hot-air projects and supplies that cannot be supported.
Mr. Mwashando has been on the headlines and on the investigative authorities for graft related offenses.
The meeting that never took place has led to unanswered questions between the chief officers and county executive committees members.
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