Kericho County Executive Committee andx MCAs differ over ambulance deal

By NIKKO TANUI

The Kericho County Executive Committee and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) have traded accusations over plans to hire nine ambulances from the Kenya Red Cross Society.

Governor Paul Chepkwony expressed disappointment that his proposal to hire the fully equipped emergency vehicles was rejected by the 47 MCAs when it was presented to the assembly for approval.

“When we were preparing our supplementary budget, I had discussion with Red Cross Secretary General Abbas Gullet over entering an agreement to hire ambulances from the organisation and we included the proposal for approval by the county assembly,” Chepkwony said.

Speaking at Kipkelion Coffee Mills, Chepkwony expressed disappointment that the county assembly rejected the proposal without putting into consideration the crucial role the ambulances would play.

But in a press conference, the MCAs led by Majority Leader Daniel Rono said they rejected the deal because the cost of hiring nine ambulances from Kenya Red Cross at Sh600,000 a month per vehicle was not economical.

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“Why should we pay Sh600,000 per month for one ambulance?  When you calculate the cost to hire nine ambulances, it is more than Sh5.4 million per month. In a year, the total amount is enough money to buy more than six new ambulances which will fully belong to the county,” said Rono.

He claimed the assembly had budgeted more than Sh60 million to buy six vehicles for the executive and six ambulances for the county only for the county government to spend the whole amount on vehicles for the County Executive Committee (CECs) members and other officers.

“The county executive has to explain to us why they failed to buy the six ambulances,” Rono said.

The Kimasian ward representative pointed out the county owns a couple of ambulances grounded by “minor” mechanical problems. He said the county government should have first spent money to repaire them.

Rono also defended the assembly against accusations that it always shoots down proposals. He claimed that Chepkwony’ does not  consult him as the leader of the majority saying he is as a link between the county executive  the assembly.