To what seems surprising and has left kenyans raising questions, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has always dubbed himself as the “Truthful Man,” now finds himself in the midst of controversy over conflicting statements regarding the release of Ksh 10 billion in El Nino mitigation funds to counties.
Gachagua initially claimed on Tuesday that the national government had disbursed Ksh 10 billion to counties to address the effects of the ongoing El Nino rains.
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However, in a subsequent statement, he seems to have changed his stance, leaving many questioning the whereabouts of the funds and the accuracy of his initial pronouncements.
Which is which Riggy G? 😂😂😂 just under 24hrs 😅 #SystemYaFacts cc @OleItumbi
Footage courtesy: @citizentvkenya pic.twitter.com/PSUiDTNx5o
— Willis Raburu (@WillisRaburu) November 22, 2023
Speaking in Mombasa on Tuesday while distributing relief food to families affected by floods, Gachagua confidently said that, “The state had released the funds to county governments to support flood victims.” He criticized Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir for allegedly not doing enough to assist flood-affected families despite the support from the National Government.
“We don’t want to see any Governor blaming the national government for not distributing food. As the Governor, you also have money,” Gachagua added.
However, less that 24 hrs, Gachagua appears to have reversed his position, saying, “The national government will not release any funds to the counties.” He urged counties to utilize the funds in their coffers to mitigate the effects of El Nino, contradicting his earlier claim of the Ksh 10 billion disbursement.
Speaking at his Karen residence, Gachagua added, “Such money is not forthcoming. They are expected to use emergency money within their financial provision and to re-allocate money within their budget to intervene for the people that they govern.”
This abrupt change in stance has raised questions about the accuracy of Gachagua’s initial assertions and sparked controversy over the transparency and accountability of funds allocated for disaster relief.
Governor Nassir and his Siaya counterpart James Orengo challenged Gachagua to provide evidence of the Ksh 10 billion disbursement.
“The truth is that the national government has not disbursed even a cent for the county government for El Nino, not even in his home county, Nyeri,” Orengo stated.
Nassir called for an investigation into Gachagua’s claims, saying, “I would love the media houses to ask the controller of budget to find out if the money was sent and which account it was sent to.”
The Council of Governors (COG) also weighed in on the controversy, with COG chairperson Anne Waiguru stating that no county had received any money from the national government for El Nino mitigation.
“We take the position that such utterances are against the spirit of cooperative and collaborative governments as envisioned under the provisions of Article 6(2) of the Constitution,” Waiguru said.
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As the conflicting statements unfold, the credibility of Gachagua’s earlier pronouncements and the accountability of funds allocated for disaster response come into question.
The public awaits clarification on the apparent discrepancy, raising concerns about transparency and effective governance in times of crisis.
