NAIROBI —Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo is facing growing scrutiny from senators and watchdog agencies after revelations that his administration hired more than double the number of allowed senior officials at a time when nearly half the county’s budget is going toward salaries.
A report presented to the Senate County Public Accounts Committee shows Governor Guyo appointed 36 personal advisors far beyond the four recommended by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). It’s the highest number recorded in any of Kenya’s 47 counties.
In a heated committee session chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, lawmakers questioned why public funds were being used to sustain such a bloated executive at the expense of basic services.
The Auditor General’s report also flagged the hiring of 31 chief officers, nearly twice the approved number of 18. Each County Executive Committee (CEC) member was reportedly assigned five chief officers, each drawing a salary of KSh255,000 per month.
“The numbers are alarming,” Senator Kajwang said. “This is not just bad governance it borders on impunity.”
According to the Auditor General, nearly 47 percent of Isiolo’s total expenditure in the 2023/2024 financial year went to salaries and allowances. That, the report notes, has choked off spending on public services and stalled development projects in the vast, arid county.
The committee session took a confrontational turn when Governor Guyo clashed with Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo. The exchanges briefly disrupted the hearing before order was restored.
Guyo denied any wrongdoing, saying his administration acted within its mandate. “We have addressed 18 out of the 35 issues raised by the Auditor General,” he said. “We are not running away from accountability.”
However, the senators were not convinced. They raised particular concern over a KSh98.5 million contract awarded for a county spatial plan. The tender was granted to a firm that quoted far more than the lowest bidder, who had offered KSh62.1 million. According to committee records, the cheaper bidder was dismissed on the grounds that their price was “too low to deliver.”
“Rejecting a bidder for quoting low is unheard of,” said Senator Kajwang. “That demands a serious probe.”
The committee has now recommended that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) investigate the tendering process for possible misuse of public funds.
Governor Guyo, who failed to attend previous summons, was fined KSh500,000 for repeatedly skipping Senate committee hearings.
With pressure mounting and questions piling up, the case is likely to test Kenya’s ability to hold county governments accountable in the decade since devolution began.
Whether the EACC will pursue criminal investigations remains to be seen, but senators say they are prepared to push for deeper reforms in how counties spend public money.
