MCA’s Bill seeks ban on foreign trips

Following public outcry over the cost of foreign travel within the Kwale County government, a nominated county assembly member is planning to table a Bill in the assembly seeking to ban what he describes as “ unnecessary trips” abroad.

Suleiman Nzala said on Thursday that he is working on the Bill that will lead to a law that will require MCAs to go for very minimal trips abroad.

“The Bill is aimed at ensuring Kwale County government does not spend cash on foreign trips which do not bring development or changes to the county,” Nzala told journalists.

He said the Bill is already at an advanced stage and that he is currently consulting with relevant stakeholders and other MCAs who will ensure it gets support once it reaches the assembly.

This comes barely a week after all 30 MCAs, including the speaker and the clerk, returned from a one week foreign trip to Singapore that is said to have cost the county government over Sh20 million

Though details of the trip are still scanty, most MCAs have told The Standard that they learnt about tourism and infrastructure.

“If there is any place in the world that the county government should go it is Singapore. Though arid, the country gets lots of tourists and has even managed to construct an underground tunnel connecting the island and mainland,” said Gombato Ward Representative Omar Boga, adding that such technology can be used to connect Kwale and Mombasa counties.

GLOBE TROTTERS

Nzala said it was unfair for the MCAs to keep moving around the globe using public funds in the name of educational tours which do not have any impact on the common mwananchi.

“My worry is that we have not seen anything tangible after the first trip was made to Zanzibar and I feel it is good we ban these trips for the sake of Kwale people,” he said.

The MCAs have also travelled to Rwanda, Mauritius and India.

 Nzala said the money used for the Singapore trip could have been used as education bursary.

 “As MCAs, we are being unfair as it appears we are travelling for pleasure. I was among those who travelled to Singapore and I did not see anything that we could not have learnt from here,” he said.

Nzala claimed he has told county assembly Speaker, Sammy Ruwa, not to include him in any future foreign trips if they are not helpful to the county. On Tuesday Ruwa told the assembly that the foreign trips would be beneficial to the county in the long run.

Two MCAs Mweruphe Ndoro and Juma Masoud said a report detailing their expenditure is ready and available to residents who would like to peruse it.