Kiambu MCAs in the soup over lounge, canteen plans

Ferdinand Waititu, now Kiambu Governor, addresses journalists at Jubilee Party headquarters in Nairobi on April 24, 2017. Ward representatives have been accused of being compromised by the executive. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The assembly was planning to spend Sh160 million to construct a lounge and two canteens for the ward reps and staff.

Ward representatives in Kiambu, just like their predecessors, have found themselves grappling with accusations of extravagance and inability to play oversight roles.

This is after a proposal to spend Sh265 million to build a lounge, a Speaker’s house and canteens.

Though the MCAs, after an uproar retracted the move and Speaker Stephen Ndicho apologised and sought voters’ forgiveness, it has become an uphill task for the 92-member House to shake off the new tag it has acquired, that of greed and selfishness at the expense of the electorate.

The MCAs, who, like their predecessors, are already fighting claims of “going to bed” with the executive, have angered the electorate, who feel the proposals were a waste of public money and not a priority since the region has more pressing issues.

CANTEENS
In the proposal, the assembly was planning to spend Sh160 million to construct a lounge and two canteens for the ward reps and staff in the 2018/2019 financial year.

The lounge was to cost Sh80 million, the two canteens would cost the same amount, while Sh105 million was to go to the construction and equipping of the Speaker’s house.

According to the document, Sh70 million was for lighting, repair, installation of CCTV cameras on pathways used to access the assembly precincts, while Sh20 million was for renovation of the assembly offices.

ALLOCATION
The total cost of all the projects was Sh355 million, which is more than the annual allocation to the youth docket, which has been allocated Sh335 million.

After the matter went public, Mr Ndicho called a press conference and defended the move, saying it was well-thought-out and provided for in the law and termed attempts to fight it as politically instigated.

“The allocation of the county government is Sh13 billion. The county assembly is allocated Sh1.2 billion, which is (used) to pay salaries and do development projects,” he said.