Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo has interdicted County Secretary Francis Ominde over the alleged failure to account for Sh7.4 million spent on a bonding session involving the executive and members of the county assembly.
In a letter dated November 20, 2018, Dr Ottichilo directed Mr Ominde to hand over to Trade Chief Officer Philip Gavuna, who is to act for six months. The governor said the money had been released on March 27, 2018 for an interactive meeting between the county executive and the assembly, but remained unaccounted for seven months later.
“You have failed to account for the Sh7.4 million which was given to you on March 27, 2018 to cater for an interactive meeting between the county assembly and the executive,” he wrote in the letter.
He said the matter amounted to a breach of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, regulation 93(5), and asked the County Public Service Board to set up a committee to investigate the allegations and file findings within six months.
Dr Ottichilo also accused Mr Ominde of dishonesty, failing to cooperate with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission on corruption-related investigations, irregularly appointing staff and failing to manage county government information.
Mr Ominde confirmed receiving the letter but dismissed the interdiction as unlawful. He said he would not leave office over the March meeting in Nairobi and argued that there is no legal basis for interdicting a county secretary.
“There is no provision in law for the interdiction of a county secretary,” he noted. “I have received the letter but I am not going to honour illegal communication. I don't know who misadvises the governor.”
He further said the dispute was hurting service delivery in Vihiga and called for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and an independent body to examine the claims.
The confrontation between the two has been building for months. In May, the governor wrote to Mr Ominde warning him of dismissal over insubordination, failure to take orders from the government, violation of the law and incompetence. In August, Dr Ottichilo announced Mr Ominde’s sacking at a press conference, accusing him of leaking government documents.
Mr Ominde went to court after the August move and later returned to office after a court order favoured him. The case is still pending.
