Nairobi, KENYA: Council of governors chair Peter Munya has blamed some quarters of the national government for interfering with the integrated financial management system which led to a crisis in the county level of government .
In a press briefing in Nairobi on Wednesday, Munya said that the system has been paralyzed from Monday this week leading to a halt of many services by county government. A factor he insists that is attributed by the national government after it emerged that IFMIS system is operational in national government departments.
Munya indicated that the hitch has paralyzed service delivery and county governments have been unable able to pay pending bills including salaries, contractors and other development projects.
“Operations across the 47 county governments have been disrupted and paralyzed, service delivery is nearly grinding to a halt; counties are unable to pay pending bills to contractors and suppliers thereby causing anxiety and giving an impression that counties are unable to settle their bills,and development projects have stagnated.” Munya said
“Even as county government experience interruption on performance of their functions ,it is worth noting that the national government and its agencies have not been affected .”He added.
He said that it is a deliberate move by the national government to slow down county governments’ expenditure as the general elections draw nearer.
He wants the treasury to move with speed and salvage the situation which he indicates that is deteriorating .
He added that if the system keeps on failing there is need for the government to revert into manual system to avert inconveniences caused in the counties .
On the other hand the council of governors has said that it will go to court to protest the signing of appropriation bill by president Uhuru Kenyatta; while mediation on the Division of revenue bill is still ongoing.
COG chair Peter Munya says that his actions undermine mediation process which will settle on allocation of revenue to both levels of government.
Munya insisted that signing of the bill is premature since the allocations for both levels of governments are yet to be agreed.
Assenting of the bill will also interfere with legislative timelines and processes as the senate cannot debate on the county allocation, while division of revenue bill has not gone through motions of mediation.
Consequently, Munya downplayed assertions that council of governors is against the payment of doctors who were on strike.
Munya said that the county governments are willing to pay the doctors as long as the national government through the Ministry of Health releases funds to pay the doctors.
