Muturi says county assemblies must have independent budgets

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has supported a petition by some county assemblies to have their money channelled directly from the National Treasury.

He said the assemblies played a vital oversight role on county executives and it was wrong for them to be at the mercy of governors.

Speaking at Full Gospel Church in Siakago during a thanksgiving service on Sunday, Mr Muturi said county assemblies should be treated in the same way as the National Assembly.

“Their oversight role cannot succeed if they keep on going to kneel before governors for money. The assemblies must be independent and mirror the National Assembly, which controls its own budget under the parliamentary commission of which I’m the chairman,” the Speaker said.

Mr Muturi added that the current scenario where many county assemblies are crippled due to financial ceilings set by Salaries and Remuneration Commission was intrusive and exposed MCAs to manipulation.

He said the National Assembly would approve the petition that calls for MCAs to control their budget once the paper leaves the Senate.

“It is wrong to expect the county assemblies to play their oversight roles effectually if they are at the mercy of the executive. Let them have their own controls and systems instead of going to governors for allocations,” he said.

At the same time, he reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that devolution works.

The Speaker said the Constitution limited the President on various issues but things would soon work smoothly. He urged Kenyans to be patient.

Mbeere North MP Charles Njagagua criticised the recently launched Okoa Kenya campaign by Cord, saying it was one of the schemes employed by the opposition to destabilise the Jubilee government’s development agenda.

Woman Representative Rose Mitaru, who was also present, called on religious leaders to pray for the country.