Murang’a MCAs lash out at Kembi over report

Rivalry between Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria and his Senator Kembi Gitura has taken a new twist after the County Assembly accused the senator of using a vague report to pin down the governor.

A section of Murang’a MCAs on Friday came out to accuse Kembi of witch-hunt claiming that the report he used when the governor appeared before the Senate committee for public accounts and investment did not originate from the assembly.

Led by the assembly’s majority leader, Mr Peter Kihungi, the MCAs claimed that the report about the land which was procured by the county government and which had an audit query was not prepared in the assembly.

They said the assembly did not hire a private company to give value of the land as Kembi indicated during wa Iria’s appearance before the Senate committee.

“The assembly cannot source a private company to do survey and valuation of any public land, but we are supposed to use relevant government agencies for that work,” said Kihungi.

On Thursday, a bitter exchange between governor Wa Iria and Kembi was witnessed before the committee forcing the session to end prematurely.

Appearing before the Anyang’ Nyong’o-led committee, the governor accused Kembi of being personal in his line of questioning, complaining of bias for the numerous times he was summoned by the committee.

Kembi has since maintained that the report originated from the assembly and was one of the reasons the assembly used to impeach the governor last year.

“As an assembly we questioned on the procurement process of the land but not the valuation as indicated by our senator and the Senate agreed the process to acquire the land was done above board,” explained the majority leader.

He continued: “We are not ready to go back on issues of impeachment as this will drag us behind and we want to engage in development in this county.”

On his part, Mbiri MCA Joseph Njoroge accused Kembi of not engaging the assembly on matters touching the county government, claiming it has been long since the senator appeared in the House.

“What our senator did was shameful, first by producing a report which we don’t know its source and trying to say it came from the assembly, and also trying to take us back to matters which already were resolved,” said Njoroge.

Speaking elsewhere, wa Iria accused Kembi of using an unfounded audit report to malign his name and government.
Wa iria castigated the senator for bringing in issues that were not in the audit report saying the valuation of the land that was purchased in Kenol area was done by a government agency.

“I have been summoned before the Senate committee seven times this year alone and I blame my senator for those numerous summons on allegation of misappropriation of funds,” said the governor.

He asked Kembi to come out and state where he sourced the report and whom he contracted to do valuation of the land.

On his part, Kembi maintained that the valuation of the 34-acre land meant to put up a market among other public facilities was exaggerated.

The senator stressed he would not cease to query why one acre of land was procured at Sh10 million, a price which is much higher than the current market price.