Governor Kidero in trouble as MCAs refuse to pass Budget

Nairobi County Assembly members boycotted session to pass Vote on Account on June 30, 2016 leaving the city without funds for the 2016/2017 financial year. PHOTO | LILLIAN MUTAVI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • MCAs boycotted session to pass Vote on Account to allow the county access at least half of the Budget estimates.
  • The reps were protesting the executive’s alleged failure to implement 181 development projects in the wards.
  • Minority Leader Abdi Guyi said that governor should account for the Sh100bn the County Assembly passed in the previous budgets since 2013.

Crisis looms in City Hall after County Assembly members snubbed session to pass the Budget once it emerged the governor would not cave to their demands.

With the June 30 deadline for passing Nairobi County’s Sh35.89 billion Budget fast approaching, MCAs boycotted session to pass Vote on Account that would have allowed the devolved unit to access half of its budget.

Earlier, the Budget and Appropriation Committee failed to table the Budget estimates to the assembly for approval.

The reps were protesting the executive’s alleged failure to implement 181 development projects in the wards.

Speaking on phone to Nation, Minority Leader Abdi Guyi said that Governor Evans Kidero should give an account on how his government spent Sh100 billion the County Assembly passed in the previous budgets since 2013 if he wants to get more money.

“Let the governor explain projects in the county that he has implemented after we have already passed Sh100 billion so far,” said Mr Guyo.

Mr Guyo claimed that Dr Kidero had incurred a debt of Sh30 billion in a period of three years compared to Sh12 billion incurred by defunct city council since independence, hence the need for accountability.

He added that the Assembly was not demanding for any goodies as alleged, but it did not want to waste  time rubber stamping what City Hall tabled every year as Budget estimates.

The Majority Chief Whip David Mberia said that the County Assembly leadership had earlier met the county boss and agreed on passing the Vote on Account on the promise that they would change the Budget to their preference afterwards.

“The tough (Dr) Kidero you see, I hear he begged the MCAs who attended the negotiation to pass the Vote on Account. Let’s see how it goes,” Mr Mberia told nation before the sitting.

MCA Makongeni Peter Imwatok said that this was not a “big deal” as Nairobi will function with or without a Budget.

The County Speaker Alex ole Magelo told Nation on Wednesday that he had heard complaints from the members saying that they were not satisfied with how Dr Kidero had spent previous budgets.

Speaker Magelo added that the governor had been neglecting projects, pushing their implementation to the next year since 2013, angering MCAs.

(Editing by Joel Muinde)