Vihiga County is facing a fresh leadership clash after Governor Wilber Ottichilo interdicted County Secretary Francis Ominde over the handling of Sh7.4 million tied to a bonding session held on March 27, 2018.
The dispute, captured in a letter dated November 20, 2018, centers on money the governor says was meant for an interactive meeting between the county assembly and the executive. Ottichilo says the funds have not been properly explained months after the event.
According to the governor, Ominde failed to account for the Sh7.4 million, which he says was issued to cover the meeting. The letter also directs Ominde to hand over duties to Chief Officer Philip Gavuna while the matter is pursued.
Ottichilo further cites the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, regulation 93(5), and asks the County Public Service Board to appoint a committee to investigate the allegations and report back within six months.
In the same correspondence, the governor links the county secretary to other concerns, including dishonesty, irregular appointments, poor management of county information, and what he describes as broader scandals within the county administration.
Ominde has rejected the interdiction and says there is no legal provision allowing a county secretary to be interdicted in the manner the governor attempted. He also says the governor is trying to frame him and insists he will not leave office.
The county secretary says the meeting in question took place in Nairobi earlier in 2018. He also confirmed receiving the letter.
This is not the first time the two have clashed. In August 2018, Ottichilo announced Ominde’s removal during a press conference, but Ominde remained in office after going to court. He was later dismissed again in writing, with the governor’s camp pointing to alleged leaks of information as the main source of the feud.
The row now places renewed attention on the use of county funds and the widening rift between the governor and his county secretary.
