Ruto refuses to assent to budget bill

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto will not assent to the Budget and Appropriation Bill passed by the assembly on Thursday last week.

Mr Ruto said the bill, passed during a stormy session, did not reflect the needs of the people and called for its amendment.

The Governor took issue with Speaker Geoffrey Kipngetich for allegedly not allowing MCAs to vote on his proposed amendments when debating on the bill.

Ruto has directed Finance Executive Peter Koros to write a memorandum to the assembly outlining changes that need to be done before the bill can be assented to.

"The Budget and Appropriation Bill cannot be implemented in the current state. People will be denied essential services," Ruto said.

He added: "I will not assent to the bill in its current state. Too much money has been channelled to the construction at the assembly at the expense of essential services in the agriculture and health sector."

The speaker was accused of muscling the process for selfish gains.

"I am told some MCAs were trying to propose amendments to the bill but they were turned down by the speaker, who has disregarded the standing orders, which allow MCAs to vote on contentious issues such as the bill," the governor said.

However, the Speaker defended the move, saying the standing orders do not give room for voting during the Committee of the Whole House where amendments proposed by Boito Ward MCA Robert Bett were turned down.

"I wish the governor could pinpoint the specific standing orders that allow lawmakers to vote in the committee stage. He only wants to mislead the public, and if he is not satisfied then he should move to court to challenge what was passed," he said.

Mr Kipngetich said the governor opposed the budget after MCAs removed over Sh300 million from the proposed public participation allocation.

"The Sh116 million for the construction of assembly chambers is not an issue. Ruto is only unhappy because MCAs stripped Sh300 million which he wanted to be used on public participation and be diverted towards development programmes," the speaker added.

He said the assembly was ready to receive the Executive memorandum saying they will not hesitate to throw it out if the proposed changes do not conform with the budget estimates and County Fiscal Strategy Paper.