A tense atmosphere hung over the corridors of Parliament Buildings on Wednesday as senators convened for another round of scrutiny on the use of public funds by county governments.
The session, held at Bunge Towers in Nairobi, drew keen interest from lawmakers, officials and members of the public tracking accountability in devolved units.
Governor Mbarire faced questions touching on several audit reports covering recent financial years.
Senators sought explanations on issues ranging from procurement practices and pending bills to the management of county assets and compliance with public finance laws.
The audit queries highlighted gaps in documentation, delayed projects and expenditure items that auditors said lacked sufficient justification.
The committee is chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Otieno Kajwang, whose team has in recent months intensified oversight of county expenditures amid growing concerns over governance and financial management.
In her submission, Mbarire defended her administration, saying some of the issues raised were historical and dated back to previous administrations.
She told the committee that her government had inherited challenges that could not be resolved overnight, but insisted that measures had been put in place to strengthen financial controls and improve transparency in Embu County.
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The governor further explained that delays in completing some development projects were caused by factors such as budget cuts, late disbursement of funds from the National Treasury and rising costs of materials.
She assured senators that the county had developed a corrective action plan to address audit concerns and avoid repeat queries in future reports.
CPAC chair Moses Kajwang pressed the governor to provide timelines for implementing reforms and clearing pending bills, warning that repeated audit red flags undermine public confidence in devolution.
He emphasized that the committee’s role was not to witch hunt governors but to ensure taxpayers’ money is used prudently and for the benefit of citizens.
Other senators also weighed in, calling on Embu County to submit additional documents to back its explanations.
The committee directed the county executive to respond to outstanding questions in writing within stipulated timelines before a final report is prepared and tabled in the Senate.
The appearance underscores the Senate’s constitutional mandate to oversee county governments and safeguard public resources.
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