Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen has cautioned Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani against forcing governors to clear pending bills.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Murkomen said that some of the county bosses are not ready to carry the burden of their predecessors. He reminded Yattani that he was once a governor, adding that he understands what it means to serve in this position. He noted that matters that entail a conflict of interest should be pursued with caution.
"Governors are being forced to pay pending bills incurred by previous colleagues&which are unverified. Governors are facing the danger of being charged by DPP if they make the wrong payments. The CS treasury who is a former governor should be careful on matters conflict of interest," he tweeted.
On Wednesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i asked the county bosses to settle the bill with immediate effect. He argued that the counties have enough cash to pay all the bill to allow them to resume smooth operations.
"It will be a requirement that county governments provide a monthly status report that will include an itemized list of all the bills paid. Going forward all county governments are advised that subsequent disbursement to county governments shall be based on the progress made in the settlement on the pending bills," Matiang'i said.
The government has insisted that there are funds to settle these bills. Matiang'i said that it is unfair for the county governments not to pay the bills. He said that the government will use all means to get the bills paid.