Broke Assembly fails to send MCAs to devolution conference

Members of the County Assembly of Nairobi (MCAs) failed to travel to Naivasha for the fourth annual devolution conference due to lack of funds.

The MCAs showed their displeasure with the service board on the floor of the House where they demanded for the House to adjourn so as to be able to attend the remaining three days.

A special motion moved by Nyayo Highrise MCA Akuk Maurice Omondi which sought to have the politicians to attend the conference despite not being facilitated by the Assembly.

Deputy Speaker Ken Ngondi, however, declined explaining that it was not possible for the MCAs to attend the conference.

“As much as we may register our displeasure and what we want to be done, we are already overtaken by events. In the first place, members did not request the Assembly to adjourn at the right time…we do not have a calendar to operate on and the county Assembly does not have power of resources,” said Mr Ngondi.

However, he said that the assembly would organise an exercise to “interrogate the devolution conference as soon as possible.”

But the disgruntled MCAs termed decision by the assembly as manipulative claiming they were arm-twisted into passing the Assembly’s calendar.

Sarangombe MCA Pius Owino Otieno said that the House committee had last week met in Naivasha where it was agreed that MCAs would not be facilitated to attend the conference but rather use the funds to pay the ward reps’ salaries.

Mr Peter Anyule Imwatok (Makongeni MCA) termed the explanation by the service board as just side shows claiming that for the last two weeks, the committees had been holding meetings in Naivasha and that a labour committee team was in Panama.

“The issue of funds is not holding water as the devolution conference is in every calendar of the 47 counties,” he argued.