A Nairobi-based lawyer has written to Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Ken Ng’ondi demanding the release of an ad hoc committee report on the state of revenue collection in Nairobi.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
In a September 5 letter, Owiso Owiso accuses Ng’ondi of withholding the report four months since the committee finalised its work.
In October last year, the assembly resolved to establish the committee to investigate county local revenue collection systems and administration.
Declining revenue
The 11-member panel was created in November and was to submit its report to the assembly within 60 days.
They were to address issues such as why local revenue collection was declining and the strengths and weaknesses of the revenue system and propose legal policy and administrative interventions to improve collections.
On 14 February, Majority Leader Peter Imwatok moved a motion seeking to extend the committee’s mandate for a period not exceeding 45 days. Ward reps granted the request and the committee was ordered to table the report on or before 19 March.
Another extension
But Imwatok sought another extension to 2 April, and this too was granted, with Ng’ondi warning that he would not entertain another extension.
On 2 April, the Speaker confirmed receiving the report but invoked the assembly’s standing orders and sought time to peruse the report before he would table it on 16 April.
“We note with surprise that it is now over four months since you confirmed receipt of the report but you are yet to have it tabled before the assembly,” part of Owiso’s letter reads.
Standing orders
The lawyer notified Ng’ondi of specific standing orders that guide the operations of assembly committees and the relaying of reports to the assembly within specific timelines.
“To this end, we wish to inform your good self that you are standing in the way of a lawful legal process by literally hoarding a public report in your office,” the letter adds.
Owiso says the Speaker is obligated by law to inform the clerk upon receiving the report so that it can be tabled.
Public interest
He says the matter is of significant public interest and that taxpayers’ money was used.
He has therefore sought from the Speaker information on the current status of the report and the total cost incurred by the committee to discharge its mandate.
Legal action
He demands that the Speaker approve the tabling of the report immediately after the assembly resumes its sittings or say when it will be tabled.
“Take notice that should you fail to provide the information as demanded herein above within the stated timelines, we intend to take necessary legal action without further reference to you,” the letter says.
The letter was also copied to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja….CLICK HERE FOR MORE ARTICLE>>>
