The ongoing standoff between the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC ) and MCAs has paralysed operations in almost 20 county assemblies. Operations have been suspended for two weeks now. This standoff calls for urgent attention.
As that the National Treasury has allocated Sh385 billion to the 47 counties for devolved functions, taxpayers expect prompt services from the devolved units.
It's saddening that even after more than 2,000 MCAs held a meeting in Nairobi in early May, the State and SRC saw no reason to invite the protestors for round-table talks to end the stalemate.
Ignoring MCAs, who have immense constitutional powers in the operation of county governments, is failing Kenyans. The current administration scrapped the Devolution Ministry under whose docket the county affairs were domiciled.
This omission has left MCAs confused as to which office, besides that of the SRC, they should take their grievances. During the KICC meeting, MCAs came up with several demands key among them a salary and allowances review.
They argued that despite having almost equivalent roles with MPs, they are underpaid, undervalued and despised through salary cuts. They requested SRC to review the scrapping of their allowances and threatened a work boycott which they have effected.
While the public expects medicine, roads and agricultural services through the counties, they cannot get them due to the MCAs' work boycott. According to the Constitution, even if governors receive allocations, they can't spend a penny without assembly approvals.
It is upon the government to call for truce. The MCAs' roles are well spelt out in the Constitution. They identify sector priorities, prepare and consolidate budget estimates presented to them by the executive and eventually oversee the budget implementation.
There are many technical documents tabled by the executive that need scrutiny, amendments and approval regularly and any time wasted through boycotts amounts to a disservice to the electorate.
The highly technical documents pending in assemblies include, annual budget review and outlook paper, debt management paper, the county fiscal strategy paper and the executive budget proposals.
But even as they protest, MCAs must also be reminded that their contract is with the electorate who they promised a lot but can only be achieved through implementation of the very budgets they are frustrating, not SRC against whom the boycott is primed.
The MCAs' justifiably feel chided after the just presented Sh3.68 trillion budget set aside additional billions to Parliament, the Presidency and the Judiciary but left them empty-handed.
For the interest of Kenyans who benefit from county government services, the president or his deputy should hold talks with the MCAs' leadership. The county lawmakers must however bear in mind that the economy is struggling currently and therefore their demands might not be met in full.
-Mr Omanga is a media practitioner and a former MCA
