Mandera residents protest MCAs' decision to reject budget

Protests rocked major towns in Mandera County on Monday over a decision last week by MCAs to reject the county’s Sh1.7 billion supplementary budget.

Locals said the budget would have been useful as it was to be used to mitigate the effects of drought.

“We are aware our Senator Billow Kerrow politicised the issue of [the] budget that was to save lives as drought continues to affect Mandera,” said Mr Barre Hassan, a resident of Rhamu Town.

“The governor was clear that the money was to be used in mitigating drought because the national government is yet to release funds but Mr Kerrow incited MCAs against it,” he said.

HIDDEN MOTIVES

But Rhamu MCA Issack Dahir said the executive had other hidden motives when asking the assembly to approve the supplementary budget, leading to its rejection on the floor of the House.

Mr Hussein Omar, a youth leader, also blamed the MCAs for the worsening drought in the county.

“What MCAs did was shameful and uncalled for and we suspect they want locals to die of hunger because elders denied them a second chance,” he said.

PASTORALISTS MIGRATE

In Elwak Town, Mr Ali Abdi said the area is the worst hit by drought.

He added that pastoralists are already migrating in such of pasture and water.

“Schools are getting deserted as parents move with their children to go to areas [where there is] pasture and water [yet] MCAs are denying funds to the executive,” he said.

When reached for comment, Mandera Governor Ali Roba maintained that the supplementary budget was meant for mitigating drought and paying pending bills after contractors and suppliers staged a series of demonstrations over dues unpaid since 2013.

Demonstrations against the rejection of supplementary budget were also staged in the towns of Kotulo, Banisa and Takaba on Monday.