For 5 months, North Rift MCAs pass bills to serve 'themselves'

Uasin Gishu County Assembly building. MCAs in the county are yet to pass any bill nearly six months after they assumed office. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In Uasin Gishu for no bill has been passed by the 47 MCAs who were sworn into office in mid-September 2017.
  • In West Pokot, the county assembly has so far passed two bills, one bill touches on county budget while the other one touches on the welfare of MCAs.

Most ward representatives in the North Rift region are yet to pass any bill touching on the lives of residents, nearly six months after they took office.

Most of the county assemblies in the region are currently debating some bills that touch on MCAs welfare including those on loans, grants and mortgages.

NO BILL

There are no proposed laws on their tables that cover the welfare of the wananchi they represent.

In Uasin Gishu for instance, no bill has been passed by the 47 MCAs who were sworn into office in mid-September 2017.

After taking oath of office, the MCAs under the leadership of Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat left for Mombasa for a one-week retreat where they also elected leaders to various House positions.

On Wednesday, Huruma Ward Representative Peter Chomba admitted that the MCAs in the second assembly had not passed any bills since assuming office.

“It is true that we are yet to pass even a single bill but we are in the process of doing that,” said Mr Chomba.

In an interview with the Nation, Mr Chomba said that the reason why they had not passed any county law is because they were only committed to enacting pieces of legislation that are ‘beneficial’ to the residents.

'SLOW BUT SURE'

“There is no need to rush and pass bills that are not going to benefit our people. We are working tirelessly as a House and very soon you will see things start rolling,” he said.

According to Mr Chomba, the House had passed a number of bills that were still at committee stages.

“We have passed a lot of motions but they are currently under the committee stages waiting for them to be returned in the House for formulation,” said the Jubilee ward rep.

Uasin Gishu County Assembly Majority Leader Josphat Lowoi said that top on the agenda for the MCAs at the moment is the scrutiny and passage of the Supplementary Budget Bill.

Mr Lowoi, who is also the Karuna/Meibeki Ward Rep, said this will cover allocations for projects that were not included in the previous budget.

TURKANA

It is the same thing in Turkana County as MCAs there are yet to debate any bill since they were elected.

Lokichar Ward rep Raphael Loperito said that the assembly has been concentrating on the formation of committees as well as playing its constitutional role in vetting and approving the county executive officials.

On Wednesday, however, the assembly passed the memoranda from Governor Josphat Nanok on the Turkana County Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2018.

The memoranda was referred to the assembly to be discussed in consideration to the planned Tobong'u Lore tourism and cultural fete.

BARINGO

The Baringo County Assembly is also yet to pass any Bill.

According to the assembly communication officer Moses Kipkaren, two bills are under publication but are yet to be brought to the floor of the house.

“The livestock Sale Yard Bill and the Investment and Economy Bill are under publication but yet to be brought to the floor of the house," said Mr Kipkaren.

In West Pokot, the county assembly has so far passed two bills - Appropriation Bill and Staff Welfare Bill (car and mortgage) for the MCAs.

They are yet to deliberate on any bill touching on wananchi.

Baringo County Assembly Majority Leader Thomas Ng'olesya said during the last regime, the county assembly passed a total of 26 bills but were not implemented

"We cannot pass many bills which cannot be implemented," said Mr Ng'olesya.

He said the assembly has tasked the executive to implement the two bills.

Reporting by Dennis Lubanga, Sammy Lutta and Flora Koech.