Divisions among MCAs delay tabling of Nyandarua budget

Divisions among Nyandarua MCAs and a stalemate between the assembly and the executive have delayed the Sh6.5 billion budget making process.

The Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman Kiiru Gachomba was Wednesday afternoon scheduled to present the budget estimates for 2019-2020 financial year.

But the budget committee was still in a Naivasha hotel discussing the document.

It therefore means that Mr Gachomba will not be ready to table a notice of motion to adopt the budget estimates Thursday afternoon as listed by the House Business Committee.

TABLE DOCUMENT

On Tuesday, Majority Chief Whip Wangari Methu told the House that the document would be tabled on Wednesday afternoon and a motion to adopt tabled on Thursday afternoon.

The budget committee chairman confirmed that the House will convene a special sitting on Saturday or Sunday in a bid to meet the budget making deadlines.

Among the issues causing divisions among the MCAs is increment of their allowance.

The elected MCAs want it raised to Sh135,000 from Sh70,000 for them to run ward offices.

The same has already been increased to Sh70,000 from Sh21,000.

ALLOWANCES BACKDATED

The increased amount was this month credited in their accounts and backdated three months.

Discussions on how to raise the additional amount and a Sh25 million public participation fund has also caused the delays.

The members opted to slash part of the executive’s budget as well as allocations set aside for assembly staff training among others.

“We have addressed and solved the burning issues. We have made deductions from various areas. We have invited the Finance Executive, Ms Mary Mugwanja, today (Thursday) to brief her on the changes and allocations affected,” said Mr Gachomba.

OPPOSED BUDGET SLASHING

But some of the MCAs are opposed to slashing the executive’s budget, claiming it will affect the implementation of critical development projects.

They are also unhappy with discrimination against the 14 nominated MCAs who are not factored in in the allowances increase.

In the Naivasha meeting, the assembly leadership opposed a proposal that the nominated MCAs be given Sh40,000 in allowances, arguing that they do not have offices and must wait for the completion of the ongoing office complex to be considered.

OFFICES

“We are fighting for them to be given offices as communicated by the Committee on Revenue Allocation. By this, we do not mean the physical address but allowances to them as MCAs,” said the Majority Leader King’ori Wambugu.

Mr Gachomba is optimistic that the Finance executive will agree with changes made in the document.

“We shall also be discussing the assets policy paper presented to us by the executive before we can draft the final document to be tabled,” said Mr Gachomba.

But he declined to discuss the affected allocations, promising to issue a detailed report after the scheduled meeting with the Finance executive.

Ms Mugwanja declined to comment on the effects and impact of the slashed budget for executive.