Garissa County allegedly blows 19 million on Governor Ali Korane’s inauguration.
A detailed report shows that the swearing-in ceremony cost Sh11.5 million while the Assumption of Office Committee consumed Sh8.4 million in expenses.
The report dated September 22 further reveals that 22 committee members, their chairman and three non-civil servants spent Sh4,770, 000 in sitting allowances alone.
The report submitted to Devolution Cabinet Secretary and Planning Cabinet Mwangi Kiunjuri was also copied to Mr Korane and County Assembly clerk.
In the report, the committee indicated huge expenses for ‘hiring media services’, ‘band services’, ‘provision of First Aid’, ‘event ushers’, ‘security services’ and ‘lodge services’.
The committee, according to their report, also paid for invitation cards, event organisers, and branding of T-shirts for event ushers.
Assumption of Office Committee also indicated that they spent Sh3.7 million during the writing of the budget report.
The team was established in July this year and its activities are by overseen by the national government through the Devolution and Planning ministry.
The mandate of the committee includes organising security for both the governor and deputy governor-elect, coordination of swearing-in ceremony of the leaders, among others.
The committee is chaired by Garissa County Secretary Mohamud Mursal and members of the committees are senior county and national government officials, including the county commissioner.
This is shameful just as it is preposterous several governors across the country, including Nairobi’s Mike Sonko, rejected huge budgets set aside for their swearing-in and directed that the funds be put for other development projects within their counties.
Garissa County needs well laid down infrastructure for development as this is the very goal of devolution.