Kiambu MCAs to hold special sittings outside county assembly

Kiambu County Assembly Speaker Stephen Ndichu (centre) after he was sworn in. [File, Standard]

The county assembly will be holding some of its sittings in the wards, new speaker Stephen Ndichu has revealed.

According to Mr Ndichu, the new plan dubbed 'Bunge Mashinani' will allow the people to see and understand how the assembly works.

He said the whole House would occasionally visit the grassroots to interact with the people.

“Under my leadership, the county assembly is determined to ensure that residents will get the best of representation from their Members of the County Assembly," he said.

The speaker said the ward reps had been trained on the rules and procedures of the assembly and were ready to start working.

The decision to hold some sittings outside the assembly is being seen by pundits as an attempt by the ward reps to redeem themselves after they came under heavy criticism from county residents last week for holding a week-long induction retreat in Mombasa, which allegedly cost Sh15 million.

Taxpayers' money

Some residents took to social media to castigate the 92 MCAs, saying the trip was a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Residents who spoke to The Standard said the MCAs could have saved money by holding the workshop in Kiambu.

Meanwhile, Ndichu has revealed that all 60 elected MCAs in the county will next week roll out an elaborate programme in all wards to campaign for President Uhuru Kenyatta in the October 17 repeat presidential election.

He said through a slogan dubbed 'Adopt a Ward' the ward reps would lead campaigns in their respective wards to ensure a 100 per cent voter turn-out.

"We have agreed that our mission is to seek and identify those who registered as voters but didn't vote on August 8 and ensure that they vote during the forthcoming October 17 repeat election. Our goal is to ensure all the 1.18 million registered voters in the county turn out and vote," said Ndichu.