KIRINYAGA COUNTY ASSEMBLY ADAPTS THE APPROPRIATION BILL WITHOUT AMENDING IT.

KIRINYAGA COUNTY ASSEMBLY ADAPTS THE APPROPRIATION BILL WITHOUT AMENDING IT. JANE MUGAMBI 4TH JULY 2014. Kirinyaga County assembly on Thursday evening adapted the county government appropriation bill,2014 in the second reading without the amendments that had been placed by the governor Joseph Ndathi after he declined to sign it. According to budget and appropriation committee chairman David Mathenge the county assembly adapted the appropriation bill 2014/2015 citing that there were no proposals from the executive. Mathenge also noted that the executive is not yet advised on budget making process which starts on 15th February saying that there is a fight between the assembly and the executive. “madam speaker the CEC Finance is not well conversant in budget making, this shows that there is a fight between the assembly and the executive” Mathenge said. Gudson Muchina Thiba ward representative said that CEC finance knows that there are two arms of budget allocation where they had scrutinized last year’s budget which acted as a guideline where the CEC did not present budgetary proposals. Gudson also added that the public finance management bill, the executive must know there are timelines that must be followed. Budget vice chairman John Mwai said that the amendments are requested after the budget has been passed, saying the CEC must understand that the county was curved from two counties(Embu and Nyeri) where the allocation is not sufficient. “Madam being the vice chair in the budget committee I can say that whatever the county is given is not enough, our county was curved from two counties making it hard to do development for insufficient funds” said Mwai. He also said that being the PAC chairman, they are going to investigate how the county government was able to withdraw 30 million shillings without the approval of the county assembly saying that executive is disrespecting them. Jennifer Wanjiru who was opposed cited that MCA’s are overspending funds through foreign trips where she said as part of the recommendations, the assembly was supposed to reduce trips.”I don’t agree with the report, Madam speaker we have been in the media for overspending on foreign trips which should be reduced, we are using 70 Million on trips which can be used for development” Jeniffer said. Deputy speaker Kinyua Mutugi, added his voice saying that what the governor had returned for review was a crafted budget which did not explain how n where they will take the money, had not been captured in last year budget where projects that had been stated were not included in 2014/2015 budget citing as MCA’s their role is to be with Wanjiku who are supposed to benefit from the money and not be given to the executive. “The executive has been using money without the approval of the assembly supply chain, in last year’s allocation, the executive withdrew 10 million when only 3 million had been allocated, time has come when the county assembly must stop being used as a rubber stamp” deputy speaker added. Adopting the bill, the speaker Ann Wangechi told the house that it (bill) will be sent to the executive within 14 days where the same will be sent to the controller of budget as it was supported by 2/3 in the house as per the standing order 49 of the county assembly. The issues that the governor wanted to be amended through the memorandum were, the allocation to the county assembly of Kshs.482,916,163(19% of recurrent expenditure) was not in line with the circular from the commission of revenue allocation. Allocations on traveling and subsistence, capacity building, hospitality and general office supplies were not guided prudent use of resources and should be shared equally between the assembly and executive. County assembly had allocated 228,324,448/- as salaries which the factual estimated salary was 177,480,001 holding 50,844,147/-. DANIDA grant that of 10,390,000/- was not adapted in the amendment where the executive was directed to negotiate with DANIDA funding so that the funds are considered in September supplementary budget. Ends…