Machakos County Governor Wavinya Ndeti has responded to claims of the county government’s inflated payments of legal services amounting to Ksh962 million.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka alleged that Machakos county government had spent Ksh962 million to pay legal fees for two firms.
“How can a governor pay Ksh962 million to two legal firms from Machakos County. Which case is that which costs almost a billion shillings in legal fees. Is that normal, and nothing is done about it,” Onyonka said.
In a statement on July 28, Wavinya dismissed the reports which he says have triggered a wave of panic among a section of the residents of Machakos who elected her on the platform of honesty, transparency accountability.
Wavinya said the claims were made by her political enemies who are desperate to tarnish the image of her administration.
“My attention has been drawn to a malicious circulation of a video clip where a Senator, being hosted in a popular morning radio broadcast show, alleges inflation of legal fees by the County Government of Machakos amounting to Ksh962 million,” the statement read in parts.
“For the benefit of the public who may still be unaware of the sustained ulterior motive of my political detractors who cling on every available opportunity to spread desperate and malicious falsehoods about me and my government.”
The governor explained that the period under review in which the Senator derived his figures was legal fees accumulated/paid from financial year 2013/14 until financial year 2021/22.
Former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua was the Govenror of Machakos during the said period.
Wavinya Ndeti Forms 5 Taskforces
Wavinya said she formed five taskforces in November 2022 including the Pending Bills Taskforce to audit all outstanding pending bills owed to various contractors, suppliers and service providers.
Additionally, she said the outcome of the pending bills taskforce conceived the need to form a Legal Pending Bills Implementation Committee in September 2023.
The Committee then prepared and submitted a summary report of pending bills of legal fees.
“I wish to clarify that most of the pending legal bills are therefore due for negotiation/taxation. The taskforce on pending bills recommended that the advocates bills that were not reasonably drawn as per the Advocates Remuneration Order be subjected to negotiation and where negotiation fails, to taxation by courts of law,” she said.
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Ongoing Negotiations with Law Firms
She explained that the Legal Implementation Committee is currently pursuing negotiations with the law firms and advocates.
Governor Wavinya stated that, “If these negotiations fail, then the same shall be subjected to taxation and give us the final amount due to the advocates or law firms.”
According to the governor, the county government expects most of the amounts due to law firms and advocates for the two financial years will significantly reduce after the negotiation and taxation by courts of law.
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“It is also key to note since I took over, the County Government of Machakos has never paid legal fees to settle any of the exorbitant amounts claimed by the Senator and the same is available in reports issued by the Controller of Budget and the Auditor General,” she said.
Besides, the governor invited individuals to verify facts before making public pronouncements on such matters.
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