Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani found herself on the defensive on Wednesday as she faced tough questions from the Senate Public Accounts Committee (PAC) regarding allegations of financial impropriety in her administration, including a controversial Sh350 million governor’s residence project.
During a heated session chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Otieno Kajwang’, the governor struggled to justify massive cost escalations in the construction of the official residence for the county governor. The project, initially budgeted at Sh149 million, has already exceeded Sh195 million, with Sh45 million reportedly spent under questionable circumstances.
Committee members expressed outrage over the lavish expenditure, particularly given the economic hardships faced by many Kwale residents. Senator Kajwang’ pointedly challenged Governor Achani, describing the spending as “morally indefensible” and questioned the wisdom of prioritizing a state-of-the-art residence when local hospitals lack essential medical supplies and markets remain underdeveloped.
“You’re building a palace while your people cannot access basic healthcare. Is this really the legacy you want to leave behind?”
Kajwang’ asked during the session at Parliament Buildings.
Governor Achani responded that the county had “no option but to complete the residence,” a project she claimed was inherited from her predecessor, Salim Mvurya, now the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs and Sports. She urged the committee to summon Mvurya to explain the project’s original intent and cost justification.
In addition to the residence, the committee also flagged irregular payments amounting to over Sh2 million made to the Council of Governors (COG) for operational costs during the 2023 Devolution Conference in Uasin Gishu County. Senator Kajwang’ noted that such intergovernmental expenses are traditionally covered by the Consolidated Fund and not individual county budgets.
“We have already written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to recover the Sh2 million that was paid irregularly,”
Kajwang’ revealed, further urging accountability across all tiers of government.
The grilling comes amid growing public concern over fiscal discipline in county governments, with the Senate stepping up oversight efforts to curb wastage and corruption. Governor Achani’s responses are expected to be reviewed in the committee’s forthcoming report, which may recommend further action depending on the EACC’s findings.
