MCAs accuse budget committee of foul play

Members of the Bungoma County Assembly are accusing the Budget and Appropriations Committee members of disregarding their suggestions.

Sector committee members who asked for anonymity for fear of victimisation said the main budget committee members were not following the laid down procedures but instead they are doing it haphazardly for their own benefit.

"We are annoyed, our suggestions are taken for granted, imagine we come up with a tentative budget, forward it to the main budget committee, they play with figures, add more money and later subdivide amongst themselves instead of it serving the intended project, this is pure corruption," said a member.

The members claimed that majority of the budget committee members had bought expensive vehicles while some are building storey houses courtesy of the money from the added allocations.

They accused the committee of summoning Chief Officers of various departments during their report writing in order to alter figures and ask for kickbacks on the increased allocations.

Some county Chief Officers who are the ministry's accounting officer have been accused of colluding with the budget committee members to milk the county dry.

The departments mostly accused for colluding with the budget committee include, roads, finance and public administration which receive a giant share.

"This is where the Chief Officers and rogue budget committee members increase the amounts for their own benefit, we want the auditor general to investigate this theft," they said.

The sectoral committee members have vowed never to participate in the coming budget-making process if they can't be considered as an important arm.

Finance Chief Officer, Chrispinus Barasa admitted that there were loopholes which needed to be sealed during the budget-making process.

"We have suggested as the county treasury for the main budget committee to mutually work with the sector committees to stop any doubts and gaps during the budget-making process so that they are not left out, our work is purely advisory," said Barasa.

However, Budget committee chairperson Rosemary Khisa, said that she reads mischief in the story adding that they have always respected the sector committee suggestions.

Ms Khisa said MCAs in the budget committee are also members in sectoral committees and always give their inputs and interrogate the budgets presented.

"Please mention sectoral committees that have refused to interrogate their budget, apart from us being in Budget committee, we are also in other sectoral committees and we are doing it," said Khisa.

She denied that the committee was overruling the sectoral committees saying they were working in accordance with the law.