Machakos governor Dr Alfred Mutua appeared before the Senate Public Accounts and Investments Committee for grilling, over matters relating to assets and liabilities belonging to the five defunct local authorities.
The audit issue touched on houses and land, formerly owned by the former local authorities in Machakos, as per the 2013/2014 Financial Year audit report.
Mutua appeared before Prof Anyang' Nyong'o-led Committee few days after the Committee asked the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinet to arrest him.
Through the vice chairperson West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo, the Committee had asked Boinet to present Dr Mutua before its members Monday afternoon, for snubbing at least five summons.
Flanked by various County officers, Dr Mutua defended himself, saying he did not decline to appear before the Committee, but he was rather held up in matters of impeachment motion that had been tabled before the Machakos County Assembly.
"I am happy to appear before the Hon Anyang Nyong'o led committee to set the record straight on the raised questions. I must state that I do support and respect the work that is undertaken by the Senate committee and I must also clarify that it is erroneous to imply that I declined to honour summons to appear before the committee,'' said the governor, Monday.
He noted that he wrote to the Senate committee seeking postponement of the hearing.
"Kenya, I believe needs such systems as these to check graft and plunder of public resources. I must add that there's no County government that has never received audit queries including the national government."
"Audit queries are routine practice. They do not mean that there's existing graft in the said government and I am therefore committed to shed light in the matters to ensure that work in Machakos continues smoothly," said Dr Mutua.