Boinnet tells Senate can’t arrest wa Iria

Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet says he is unable to arrest and present Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria to Parliament in the absence of a court order.

Mr Boinnet wrote to the Senate Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources informing the team of the legal difficulty in arresting and producing Mr wa Iria to testify on Murang’a over water wrangles that have seen the World Bank withdraw a Sh130 million loan.

“We were to meet with the Inspector General of Police this morning regarding enforcement of the summons we issued to have Mr wa Iria appear before us,” said Nyandarua Senator Mwangi Githiomi who chairs the committee told Senators. “Unfortunately, he has sent a letter to IG saying he needs a court order to arrest governor wa Iria.”

The governor has been locked in rows with businessman Peter Munga over control of firms that supply water to Murang’a residents, prompting a court fight after the ouster of the tycoon.

Thursday, Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka ordered Mr wa Iria to appear before the committee that summoned him.

The Senate in mid-October issued the summonses after Mr wa Iria, for the second time in a row, skipped an invitation to appear before the Senate committee.

Early October, Water secretary Samson Chelugui accused Mr wa Iria of interfering with water services in Murang’a and blamed him for the wrangles.

“This is due to the misunderstanding over the control and management of water services provision and water utility assets between the County government and the water companies in the county,” he said.

Mr Chelugui cited a sitting of Murang’a County Assembly on September 17, 2015, which suspended tariff adjustment the Water Services Regulatory Board had approved and asked residents to ignore the new prices.

The committee wanted Mr wa Iria to explain why he issued an executive order asking residents not to pay water bills to the Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company, which Mr Munga chairs.

The wrangles caught the attention of the World Bank, which stopped Sh130 million funding of water infrastructure upgrades in Murang’a.

The governor accused the tycoon of bankrolling his opponent Moses Mwangi’s campaigns ahead of the August 2017 General Election and interfering with local politics.

Mr Githiomi had directed the Senate clerk to issue a summons compelling Mr Wa Iria to appear before the committee on October 30 without fail.

Mr wa Iria risks being slapped with a fine not exceeding Sh500,000 and prosecution if he fails to honour House summonses.