Their counties are ranked low on the economic ladder, but according to official data, rather than dig themselves out of the hole by spending more on development, the bottom 10 counties have instead poured millions in salaries and MCAs' sitting allowances.
In the last financial year, these counties allocated less to improve the lives of their people and instead spent billions on foreign trips, meetings, and salaries.
It is an indictment on the governors of some of Kenya’s poorest counties including Isiolo, Samburu, Lamu, Garissa, Busia, Vihiga and Tharaka Nithi.
Monthly sitting allowance in the counties at the bottom of the wealth rank is, on average, Sh79,672 per MCA compared to Sh77,971 by the richest counties.
Controller of Budget catalogues how the 47 counties spent their allocations.
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Busia paid each MCA a sitting allowance of Sh146,149 per month, which was more than the set threshold. Other counties that surpassed the set limit on MCA allowances include Homa Bay, Sh148,214, Nyamira Sh150,097 and Tana River Sh138,706.
“Migori County Assembly reported an expenditure of Sh69.11 million without a budget allocation for MCAs sitting allowances in the Approved Budget,” said the outgoing Controller of Budget, Ms Agnes Odhiambo.
