Senate Grills Siaya Governor Orengo Over Audit Flaws In Water, Health Sectors

The Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds on Monday put Siaya Governor James Orengo on the spot over serious audit concerns raised about Sibo Water and Sanitation Company Limited and Siaya County Referral Hospital.

Chaired by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, the session focused on financial irregularities and operational gaps flagged in the Auditor-General’s 2023/2024 report.

One of the major issues discussed was the 13-year-old unresolved land ownership dispute at Siaya County Referral Hospital. Senator Raphael Chimera strongly condemned the delay, saying: “A facility this critical lacking basic land ownership documents for over a decade is unacceptable. Immediate and practical steps must be shown.”

Governor Orengo admitted that the hospital was facing staffing shortages but said the county had embraced telemedicine to fill the gap.

“We currently depend on telemedicine partnerships. For instance, in radiology, our CT scans are interpreted remotely by doctors from Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, providing real-time diagnosis,” he told the committee.

The discussion then shifted to Sibo Water and Sanitation Company, which reported a reduction in losses from Sh37 million to Sh27 million—still a troubling figure according to the senators. Kiambu Senator George Mbugua questioned the company’s failure to curb high levels of non-revenue water, saying, “Non-revenue water remains excessively high. The measures previously recommended remain largely unimplemented. Where is the urgency?”

The company’s CEO faced direct questions from Senator Oburu Odinga, who said, “CEO, what do you want us to do? When you bring yourself here knowing very well that all the issues have not been addressed, what do you expect us to do?”

According to the audit, the water company is also struggling with unresolved customer deposits amounting to Sh19 million and weak financial reporting that threatens its survival. While Governor Orengo acknowledged that only partial progress had been made, he cited ongoing efforts such as smart metering and infrastructure repairs.