Uasin Gishu Assembly and executive lock horns over Sh5.8 billion budget

A stand-off between the executive and Members of the Uasin Gishu County Assembly (MCA) continued on Wednesday after the ward reps refused to debate the proposed Sh5.8-billion budget despite Tuesday's deadline.

The bone of contention is the Sh250 million that was included in the budget proposal for procurement of vehicles, plants and machines, which include a stone crusher and water master among others.

The MCAs rejected the proposed expenditure on purchase of additional motor vehicles, saying they currently have enough that can operate the activities in the county.

The Standard has since established that several cars currently lying idle in the county parking yard were factored in during the 2014-15 budget.

According to a source within the county assembly, procurement of more vehicles will increase operational costs and maintenance expenses.

 Misplaced priorities

"The yard is currently full with the new vehicles which have not been used. We can’t buy more vehicles if the available ones can serve the same purpose," said the source who requested not to be named.

The county government also plans to spend Sh7 million to set up a radio station, a proposal that the assembly rejected saying it was not a priority.

Committee on Budget and Appropriation Chairman Jonathan Ng'etich accused the executive of increasing recurrent expenditure, thus stifling allocation to development.

"This committee purposes to increase development allocation to Sh2 billion to reflect 40 per cent of the total Budget, leaving the remaining 60 per cent to cater for recurrent expenditure," he said.

The executive had earlier proposed 67 per cent to go to recurrent expenditure, while 33 per cent would be used in development projects.

The MCAs had approved that 54 per cent of the budget would go to developments at the ward level, while 46 per cent would be used for major flagship projects and an equalisation fund.

The office of Controller of Budget on June 29 wrote to the finance executive, copied to the Assembly, demanding provision of crucial documents in order to approve funds for 2015-16.