Siaya MCAs face off with governor on push to change county budget

Siaya County Assembly during a past sitting. Whereas Rasanga wants Sh900m to fund his legacy projects the MCAs are opposed to his decision to reduce ward allocation kitty. [File, Standard]

A row is brewing between MCAs and other leaders over a push for changes in the supplementary budget.

Some MCAs have threatened to shoot down the budget, claiming Governor Cornel Rasanga wanted to reduce ward allocation from Sh30 million to Sh10 million to enable him to fund his legacy projects.

Central Alego MCA Leonard Oriaro and his Yimbo East colleague, Francis Otiato, argued that for any changes to occur in the supplementary budget, there must be public participation.

Mr Oriaro noted that road tarmacking was not in the County Integrated Development Plan, the County Annual Development Plan and even the county fiscal strategy paper.

Delay projects

Mr Otiato claimed the standoff over the supplementary budget was artificial and was a creation of the executive to delay development.

“No MCA who went to his people and identified projects to the tune of Sh30 million will agree to have the money cut. This is a process that has moved on and we are at the county fiscal strategic paper stage and the law is very clear that once it has been passed, that is the guideline,” said Otiato. Lined up for Rasanga’s legacy projects is Sh900 million for tarmacking roads in Bondo and Gem sub-counties.

To get the Sh900 million, the governor wants the MCAs to forgo the Sh30 million allocated in the budget for the ward development.

The MCAs claimed the governor had talked with the majority leader, the chief whip and their assistants to convince members to pass the supplementary budget.

Senator James Orengo, MPs Elisha Odhiambo (Gem) and Sam Atandi (Alego Usonga) yesterday insisted that for the legacy dream to be realised, Mr Rasanga must take back the Sh30 million ward development fund.

“I need an opportunity to leave a legacy. I am the one who gave the MCAs the Sh30 million for the past five years but now I am taking it back and I want all that money to be used in putting up legacy projects,” said Rasanga.

Mr Orengo said local leaders would not allow any differences between MCAs and the governor, as witnessed in other counties.

“We do not want squabbles and therefore it is prudent for the MCAs to support the governor,” said Orengo.

Mr Odhiambo and Mr Atandi asked the MCAs to support the supplementary budget for the sake of harmony in the county.