Budget boss Agnes Odhiambo names MCAs with highest sitting allowances

Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo has warned that meeting and travel allowances are taking a huge chunk of county governments’ revenues. FILE PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA |

What you need to know:

  • On average, each of Kenya’s 2,526 MCAs pocketed Sh88,044 in sitting allowances for the year under review.

Uasin Gishu representatives received the highest amount in sitting allowances in the year to June while their Taita-Taveta counterparts were the least paid, according to a new report that shows how devolved units blew Sh2.4 billion on meeting fees.

The Controller of Budget’s report released on Friday shows that on average each MCA in Uasin Gishu was paid Sh235,743 per month in the one year to June.

Their 36 counterparts in Taita-Taveta earned Sh15,827 per month in sitting allowances as counties at the Coast generally spent the least on those allowances relative to other devolved units.

Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo warns that meeting and travel allowances are taking a huge chunk of county governments’ revenues.

County representatives spent Sh3.7 billion on foreign and domestic travel in the period to June and splashed Sh6.3 billion on cars, helping lift the earnings of new car dealers who are recording the best sales in more than a decade.