Assembly team’s Uganda trip sparks outcry

A recent trip by Kisumu County Assembly members to Uganda that cost Sh11 million has sparked an outcry among residents.

Kisumu City Residents Voice chairman Audi Ogada said it was surprising that the county approved the expenditure when several development projects were not complete.

A member of the assembly, who asked not to be named, told the Nation that the trip was a waste of funds as nothing much was learnt.

“We only visited a few places, yet millions were spent,” he said.

Eyebrows have also been raised after the assembly approved a Sh694,847 expenditure for Speaker Anne Adul to attend a conference in Atlanta, Georgia

More questions have been raised over a Sh2.1 million devolution study tour of Europe by local Majority Leader Samuel Ong’ou, Minority Leader Edwine Anayo and Assembly Clerk Julius Otiende between August 25 and September 7.

The tour was approved on the grounds that it would expose the leaders to devolved systems in Germany, Holland, Austria and Italy.

Seme East County Representative Aggrey Ogosi criticised members of the assembly who complained about the Uganda trip, saying, they were part of the committee that approved it.

“We must be careful with the statements we make to the media. One cannot be in a committee and at the same time refute what is recorded in the Hansard,” he said.

Kisumu Governor Jackton Ranguma denied claims that a crisis meeting had been held on Friday to discuss the trip.

“We held a meeting to update the county assembly members on upcoming Kisumu urban development projects that require their approval,” he said.