Nyandarua MCAs approve budget to pay off pending bills

Ward representatives have approved the first supplementary budget of Sh890 million to clear the county’s pending bills.

The assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee chairman, Kiiru Gachomba, said the additional funds would push the current budget to Sh7.9 billion.

Members were forced to hold a special sitting at the weekend to pass the supplementary budget.

The tabling of the supplementary spending plan drew mixed reactions from MCAs, with some expressing disappointment because of the delay from the Executive to submit the document to the County Assembly.

“We needed time to familiarise ourselves with the document,” Leshau Pondo MCA Gathungu Kamau said.

Wanjohi MCA Isaac Kung’u, who rose to support the motion, appreciated that some of the pending bills that have constantly raised queries would be settled. However, he said he was disappointed that Sh716 million originally set aside for the construction of a potato and vegetable processing plant had been reallocated to other purposes.

Githioro MCA Sambigi Mukuria asked the Executive to focus on the implementation of projects as the county assembly had played its role of passing the budget.

The lion’s share of funds in the supplementary budget went to governance (43 per cent), followed by infrastructure (21 per cent) and human resources (12 per cent).