Leaders decline to pass crucial Finance Bill
Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero (left) with former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka at meeting discussing way forward on referendum push at Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi, on September 4, 2014. Nairobi County assembly members teamed up on September 30, 2014 and forced the withdrawal of the Finance Bill from the order paper. FILE PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The differences arose from the executive’s failure to release a Sh3 billion kitty for the Ward Development Fund and a further Sh380 million for the MCA’s mortgage package
- And in a rare show of unity, ODM and TNA assembly members teamed up against Dr Evans Kidero’s government on Tuesday and forced withdrawal of the Finance Bill from the order paper
- Dr Kidero signed into law the Ward Development Fund Act early this year to enable MCAs carry out development activities in their wards
A fallout between the Nairobi County Government and the assembly members over allocation of funds threatens to stall operations.
The assembly has now declined to pass legislations, key among them the Bill that allows the county government to collect levies from residents.
The differences arose from the executive’s failure to release a Sh3 billion kitty for the Ward Development Fund and a further Sh380 million for the MCA’s mortgage package.
And in a rare show of unity, ODM and TNA assembly members teamed up against Dr Evans Kidero’s government on Tuesday and forced withdrawal of the Finance Bill from the order paper.
The move to withdraw the Bill by the Budget and Appropriation committee chairman Michael Ogadanow means the county government cannot collect revenue.
FRUSTRATION
Majority leader Elias Otieno and his Minority counterpart Abdi Guyo may have conveniently skipped the stormy session. However, on Monday, the two had vowed to block the passage of the Bill.
Dr Kidero signed into law the Ward Development Fund Act early this year to enable MCAs carry out development activities in their wards.
“Our patience has run out over the lack of concern for the welfare of members. As an assembly, we are united to put pressure on the executive to act,” Mr Otieno said on Wednesday.
Mr Guyo’s deputy Mr Patrick Ngaruiya moved the motion of adjournment to discuss the Bill on the last day when it was to be passed.
“If the county executive is not ready to cooperate and implement what concerns us, we shall also frustrate their work,” Mr Ngaruiya said.
The MCAs’ tough stances was iced by Speaker Alex Ole Magelo who declared the relationship between the Executive and the City Assembly as “having collapsed”.
