Meru County Assembly has passed the county’s Appropriation Bill after a month of delay, plundering the budget of Governor Kawira Mwangaza’s office to fund the deputy governor who is protesting against financial difficulties.
District representatives on Tuesday passed the Sh13.9 billion 2024/2025 budget after impeaching the governor last week.
They deducted Sh29.9 million from the governor’s operating fund of Sh160 million to give voting rights in the deputy governor’s election to the position of deputy governor, who disagreed with his boss.
During the budget process, Governor Mwangaza had refused to budge on the budget allocation to his deputy governor and MCAs had vowed to make cuts.
“We are taking this action following multiple petitions filed by the Deputy Governor, Isaac Mutuma, alleging that funds have not been paid to the Governor’s Office. As the oversight body, we must resolve the issues at the Governor’s Office,” House Minority Whip Jim Muchui said.
Of the Sh29.9 million, Sh13.5 million has been set aside for the purchase of a vehicle for the deputy governor.
Last year, a furore erupted after the county government tried to tow the deputy governor’s official car from a garage in Meru town.
The 2024/2025 budget also marks a win for MCAs who successfully negotiated the allocation of Sh1.6 billion for ward-based programmes popularly known as ward funds.
If Governor Mwangaza agrees to the budget proposal, each district will receive development projects worth Sh33 million, double the Sh15 million allocated for the 2022/2023 financial year, as well as Sh3 million for education scholarships.
Chairman of the county assembly’s budget and expenditure committee, Morris Ntarangwe, defended the delay in the budget process, claiming it was for legitimate reasons.
“This budget is historic because it shows all the projects that will be implemented in the county. The budget clearly defines what the allocated funds will be spent on on the ground. This will ensure that more resources are devolved to the people,” Ntarangwe said.
The MCAs, in passing the County Financial Strategy Paper 2024, had advised the County Treasurer to vote for Deputy Governor Isaac Mutuma and failing that, they would vote for him themselves.
“The committee recommends that the governor appoint a financial officer for the office of the deputy governor within 14 days of the enactment of the Meru County Appropriations Act, 2024,” the budget committee recommended.
Other interesting allocations include Sh100 million to the County Assembly Hansard System, Sh12 million to Mwangansia Cooperative Posho Factory and Sh15 million to Abotuguti Cooperative Avocado Oil Extraction Machine.
Parliament had proposed spending Sh40 million on the Hansard system in the 2021/2022 financial year but no funds were allocated.
Beneficiaries of the MCA changes also include striking health workers, Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers, water engineers and agricultural extension workers, who have been allocated Sh100 million, Sh90 million, Sh7 million and Sh8 million respectively for promotion and hiring of new staff.
Health workers in Meru have been on strike for the past two weeks, demanding promotions and more staff.
In a memorandum to the county assembly, the health workers union had sought promotion of over 900 nurses, clinicians and doctors at a cost of Sh260 million, which has been stagnant for 16 years.
Persons with disabilities, who have complained they have been left out of the budget, will also receive 10 million shillings this year to help them become financially independent.
Meru County is hoping to raise Sh500 million from local revenue, Sh550 million from hospital fees and Sh10.8 billion from the national treasury. The county is also expecting grants of over Sh1.9 billion for various development schemes.
The delay in passing the current financial year budget was triggered by MCAs’ desire to allocate Sh45 million per ward against the executive’s recommendation of Sh15 million.
In protest, finance executive Ibrahim Mutwiri claimed the MCA had “completely reviewed and changed the fundamental structure of the CFSP” and had sought advice from the Commissioner of Audit and Budget (COB).
As a result, Budget Controller Dr Margaret Nyakango chaired a mediation meeting and instructed the warring parties to enter into negotiations and avert a budget impasse.
Two weeks ago, Governor Mwangaza threatened not to assent to the expenditure bill if MCAs did not adhere to the negotiated budget.
