Laikipia Assembly passes Sh3.6 billion supplementary budget to fund projects

NYAHURURU: The county assembly has given the executive the go-ahead to spend an additional Sh3.6 billion in the current financial year.

This followed the passing of a supplementary budget by the assembly at a special sitting called by Speaker Patrick Mariru, despite opposition from nominated members.

The approval of the budget comes just a week after the Commission on Revenue Allocation listed the county as one of the regions whose spending had exceeding the ceiling.

Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman Wilson Wakahiu moved the motion on the mini budget on Tuesday afternoon despite protests from the nominated members who even walked out of the chamber.

The MCAs walked out just before a vote was taken on the budget. They protested an alleged lack of representation of interest groups on House committees.

"It is sad that people with disabilities who I represent are not represented in the Budget Committee and so even their interests risk being ignored," said John Nderitu.

But Mr Wakahiu dismissed the claims, saying members could not belong to every committee.

The members also supported the Sh174 million ceiling on recurrent expenditure for the county assembly, saying it was a sacrifice they had to make for the sake of residents.

"The money is too little even for county assembly operations. We have already exhausted it and we have no choice but to sacrifice for the sake of other projects in the county," Mukogodo East Ward Representative Paul Leshuel said.

Igwamiti Ward Representative Joseph Kabaci said the county needed water, roads and other services, adding that county operations had almost ground to a halt due to lack of funds.

The assembly will hold another special sitting tomorrow to discuss the Appropriations Bill.

CRIPPLE INDUSTRY

Meanwhile, Matatu Saccos in Nyeri have vowed to resist any attempts to have them install new speed governors after the Ministry of Transport and the National Transport and Safety Authority banned those currently in use.

The operators drawn from 2NK Sacco, 4 NT, Nyakati and the 2MGIN said they would not install new governors and accused the Government of trying to cripple the matatu industry.

"The ministry and NTSA have been harassing public service vehicles by insisting they must install new speed governors every year," said Kiunge Mundia, the chairman of 2MGIN Sacco.

He wondered how the Kenya Bureau of Standards allowed the importation of speed governors that did not meet the required standards.

John Maregwa, the 2NK Sacco Operations chairman, noted the gadgets affected by the directive were some of the most effective.

"Players in the PSV industry suspect this is a plot to create a business opportunity for people keen on making the Government look bad in the eyes of the stakeholders," Mr Maregwa added.

"Our vehicles are checked regularly by the Traffic Police Inspection Unit to determine whether the speed governors and recorders are functioning properly. The 2NK board also has its own investigations and we have not seen any fault with the gadgets," said Maregwa.

He said fixing each of their 650 vehicles with a speed limiter and recorder cost the Sacco Sh36,000 per vehicle and this was eating into their profits.

Gladys Murage, a driver with Nyakati Sacco, said her vehicle had never exceeded 80kph since it was was fixed with a speed limiter belonging to one of the banned brands.

"Claims that the gadgets are faulty is an excuse to scuttle our businesses," she said.