Former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu has revealed she is struggling financially and is unable to pay a Sh 500,000 fine.

Earlier in October, the Senate sanctioned Ngilu for failing to honour summons to appear before a Senate committee.

The former governor was expected to appear before the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee on Monday, October 7, 2024, but she failed to honour the summons.

In a statement by the National Assembly on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the former county boss was fined Ksh500,000.

Charity Ngilu was expected to shed light on the Kitui County Textile Center (KICOTEC) financial statements and land ownership issues.

"The Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee has imposed a Ksh 500,000 fine on former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu for failing to honour summons regarding the Kitui County Textile Center (KICOTEC) financial statements and land ownership issues. The committee has issued a fresh summons for her appearance at a date to be confirmed,” the statement from the Parliament of Kenya read in part.

The committee emphasized the necessity of the former governor’s presence to resolve the issues mentioned in the audit report.

“We cannot get to the bottom of this matter without the presence of the former governor. I hereby, on behalf of the committee, resolve that we issue a fresh summons for her reappearance and fine her Ksh500,000 for her non-appearance today according to the standing orders,” Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, chairperson of the committee, remarked.

She was summoned on August 29, 2024, after the committee convened to review the company’s financial statements for fiscal years 2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22.

After reviewing the Auditor General reports for the three financial years, they noted significant management and financial challenges that threatened its operations and sustainability.

“The committee hereby issues summons, pursuant to Article 125 of the Constitution and sections 18 and 20 of the Parliamentary (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, to the former Governor of Kitui County Charity Ngilu, the former top management officials, and all officials who signed financial statements of the Kitui County Textile Center in the financial years 2019/2020, 2020/2021, and 2021/2022,” the committee directed.

Charity Ngilu, finally honored the Summons on Friday, November 14. Appearing before the Senate Committee, the Former County Boss revealed she didn't intentionally snub the Senate.

" I did not refuse to honor the Summon, the communication was through WhatsApp which I don't regularly use. The committee should have used a letter to communicate".

Ngilu, revealed she is unable to offset the Ksh 500000 Fine, explaining she has been struggling without a job.

" I am broke, I cannot afford to pay the Ksh 500,000 because I am jobless" the Former County Boss said.

Residents accuse Senator Wambua for calling for closure of KICOTEC.

Kitui county residents have put their Senator Mr Enoch Kiio Wambua on the spot over what they termed as attempts to render them jobless as the Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) employs over 900 persons.

The residents staged a demonstration calling upon their leaders to protect the interests of ordinary people relying on KICOTEC to earn a living. They held that Senator Wambua had ill motives to close down the industry for his own political gains. They said both Governor Dr Julius Malombe and Senator Wambua should stop using the current financial challenges KICOTEC is facing and instead find solutions.

"Our senator Mr Kiio and governor Malombe should not engage themselves in a political war with former governor Charity Kaluki Ngilu in their attempts to close down the industry for their political gains", said a demonstrator.

The demonstrators accused Senator Wambua of using the Senate to settle his scores with Mrs Ngilu.

"Instead of the two leaders providing true and necessary information to the Senate committee for betterment of the industry, they did not consider the welfare of the families of over 900 employees working at the industry", said Ms Mwikali Nguma, a protester.

Both Governor Dr Malombe and former Governor Mrs Ngilu appeared yesterday before the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee over audit queries. Senator Wambua clashed with ex-Governor Ngilu over the management of KICOTEC. Ngilu is the brainchild of KICOTEC. She had been summoned to answer allegations of financial mismanagement during her tenure as governor. She accused Senator Wambua of politicizing the KICOTEC project.

Wambua argued that money was lost through misappropriation where a company called Kitui County EPZ was formed to seize public land.

"This issue is not about Governor Dr Julius Malombe or former Governor Charity Ngilu. It concerns the future of Kitui youth. KICOTEC has been a conduit for misusing public funds and the former governor should address these facts rather than distort them" , senator Wambua told the Senate committee.

Ngilu accused senator Wambua of taking part in cheap politics and urged the Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi-led committee to visit Kitui and inspect KICOTEC. She had skipped senate summons twice.