Isiolo MCAs threaten to sue over approval of Sh3.7bn budget
Isiolo County Assembly. A number of MCAs are opposed to the passage of a Sh3.7 billion supplementary budget saying Speaker Mohammed Tubi ruled in favour of the minority who voted to support the motion to approve it. PHOTO | VIVIAN JEBET | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Shano said they will file a complaint to the National Treasury and the Controller of Budget to block its implementation.
- Those opposing the budget said the estimates had excess pending bills and a lot of improprieties.
- But the Speaker said a majority had voted in favour of the budget.
- Mr Tubi noted that the estimates had been rejected two weeks ago due to different issues which had been corrected.
Controversy has emerged over the approval of a Sh3.7 billion supplementary budget by the Isiolo County Assembly Tuesday after it was opposed by a majority of MCAs.
A section of MCAs, who have threatened to move to court, accused Speaker Mohammed Tubi of ruling in favour of the minority when the House was voting for the motion.
Bulla Pesa MCA Moses Kithinji and Nominated MCA Hassan Shano said only four out of 11 members present in the House voted in favour of the supplementary budget.
“Despite seven members opposing the estimates, the Speaker went against the Standing Orders and ruled in favour of the four,” said Mr Kithinji.
Mr Shano said they will file a complaint to the National Treasury and the Controller of Budget to block the implementation of the supplementary budget.
IMPROPRIETIES
Those opposing the budget said the estimates had excess pending bills and a lot of improprieties of funds by the county executive.
“Al though standing orders say that the Speaker has the final decision, we tried to contest the matter on the floor of the House but he dismissed our plea,” added Mr Kithinji, also the assembly’s minority leader.
But the Speaker dismissed those opposing the budget saying the majority had voted in favour of the motion, hence his decision.
Mr Tubi noted that the estimates had been rejected two weeks ago due to different issues which had been corrected.
He termed the MCAs’ decision as a “normal” from the opposition insisting that the passage of the budget had been delayed.
URGENCY TO APPROVE
“There was an urgency to approve the budget due to the prevailing drought and conflict by herders witnessed in the region,” added the Speaker.
Earlier, about 15 MCAs supported recommendations by the Finance, Budget and Appropriation Committee that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) should probe impropriety of funds by some county officials.
They further asked EACC to interrogate and conduct a special audit on the county expenditure and project implementation by the Public Investments and Accounts Committees (PIC/PAC), saying that no project was implemented since 2016 despite huge allocations.
The MCAs had also rejected the budget citing excess pending bills drawn from all sectors and the governor’s office amounting to Sh243m and Sh277m respectively.
The supplementary budget comprises of Sh2.3 billion recurrent expenditure and Sh1.4 billion for development.
