Embu County Assembly takes two-week recess after cash crisis halts operations

The Embu County Assembly has gone on a two-week recess following a cash crisis that has halted operations.

The county assembly’s budget committee chairman, Joseph Nyaga, said the assembly owed more than Sh39 million in debt and that could rise to Sh100 million in the coming days.

He said they had already exhausted the Sh250 million allocated to them by the county government, following a budget ceiling that was imposed by the Commission on Revenue Allocation.

A source at the assembly said ward staff, suppliers and landlords of MCAs’ town offices in Embu, as well as MCA and staff allowances, have not been paid for the last nine months.

The assembly has not been getting its tea and snacks while petrol stations have refused to supply diesel for the emergency generator the assembly had not paid for previous supplies, and Internet service was disconnected because of unpaid bills.

BANK PENALTIES

“The assembly cannot also afford to buy water for use by members during plenary sittings and may also not pay salaries for MCAs and core staff as from this month.

"The MCAs who took car loans and mortgages face the risk of being penalised by banks for not servicing their loans,” said the source.

Early this year, Embu Governor Martin Wambora said the assembly had spent Sh400 million on salaries, exceeding their budgetary ceiling by over Sh150 million and therefore had no moral authority to discredit his government.

The assembly and the Executive have held several unsuccessful meetings to resolve the issue. Mr Nyaga said MCAs had resorted to begging for retreats from the Executive so as to earn per diem pay to keep them going.