Controller of Budget warns MCAs on trips

Kenya: The Office of Controller of Budget has put Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) on notice over spending billions of shillings on foreign trips at the expense of developing legislation and facilitating county activities.

Not only will ward representatives who have been wasteful be asked to refund cash, those found to have spent money irregularly will face the law, says Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo .

“We are aware MCAs have a role to do, including accounting for funds allocated to them. I understand most are spending monies on trips. I wish to remind them that those found to have misappropriated funds will face the full wrath of the law,” Ms Odhiambo said.

  Odhiambo was reacting to reports that some ward representatives in Vihiga and Bungoma counties are currently away on foreign trips.

In what has been disguised as learning trips, some ward representatives appear to be in a rush to spend on foreign travel to exhaust their monies before end of the financial year on June 30.

“That money they are spending could have been kept for the next financial year and put to good use other than spend it all on trips,” she said. “We are doing a report on County Assemblies the same way we have done for both national and county governments.”

Vihiga County Assembly members are on a trip to Arusha and Mwanza in Tanzania, having been to Israel a week ago. Those from Bungoma are in Israel and are expected back today.

In less than two months, the Vihiga MCAs have been to Uganda twice, Tanzania, Singapore and Israel for learning and exchange programmes, where they have spent millions of shillings. 

“We know some of them are holding Governors to ransom but they too should know that they are accountable. They will have to account for every penny,” Odhiambo warned.

Public affairs watchdogs,   lobby groups and politicians have raised the alarm that some of the trips could be ways of squandering public funds.

“There are some trips that can add value while others could well be schemes to squander money meant for devolution. While I do not wish to wholesomely condemn foreign trips by MCAs, there is  need to control such trips starting at the county level, Controller of Budget, Auditor General and the Senate,” said Dr Boni Khalwale, the Kakamega Senator.

Khalwale said constitutional agencies must also be involved in auditing the county assemblies to ascertain how they have spent money.

“Governors’ offices should be involved in the audit of MCAs expenditures. We are also keenly waiting for Auditors’ report on the County Assemblies then we shall talk from there.”

Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi, whose constituency falls under Vihiga County, says ward representatives  should first exhaust learning opportunities  available  locally before venturing out of the country.

“MCAs should minimise foreign trips because there is more to learn from each other in Kenya than outside,” Agoi said. “More money should be spent on development than on trips, otherwise they could be killing devolution without knowing it,” he added.

Bumula MP Boniface Otysula said there was a need to distinguish between the roles of ward representatives and those of MPS to promote accountability at the grassroots. “Let us play our CDF role while MCAs should be allowed to play theirs too. But let them tell wananchi how those trips will help them,” Otsyula said.

While defending their trips and lavish spending on the social media after residents raised concerns, Speaker of the Vihiga County Assembly Dan Chitwa said their trips were justified and that they had reports to support them.

“This money was budgeted for.   People should look at what the MCAs do while on the trips rather than engage  in empty talk.  We are open about what we do,” Chitwa said in a social media posting.

A Bungoma lobby group has sharply criticised the local county assembly, and said that it was on a spending frenzy of taxpayer’s money on unnecessary trips.  Led by the groups spokesperson’s Namuleyi Wasike, they termed the trips as a complete waste of public resources. “Recently sections of the MCA’s were on a retreat in Kilaguni Lodge, Mombasa County, others have been in Kisumu.  Sometime back others have been to Rwanda.Another group is currently in Israel. We wonder how these trips are beneficial to the people of Bungoma County,” she said.