Rasanga in financial crisis as assembly rejects budget

Siaya County Governor Cornel Rasanga during an interview at his office. [Collins Oduor/Standard]

The county government is facing a financial crisis after the assembly rejected a Sh6 billion supplementary budget.

MCAs said they were angered by Governor Cornel Rasanga’s decision to reduce the Ward Development Fund from Sh30 million to Sh10 million and the vote for the purchase of drugs from Sh85 million to Sh79 million.

They said the supplementary budget did not address the county’s priorities.

They asked why the governor increased travel costs for executive from Sh8, 116,828 to Sh27, 116,828 while slashing money for drugs and ward development projects.

Serious loopholes

In a charged debate presided over by Speaker George Okode, the MCAs said the supplementary budget had loopholes and did not adhere to the Public Finance Management (PMF) Act.

The MCAs proposed that the supplementary budget be returned to the county treasury for review.

After prolonged debate, the MCAs adopted a report by the Joint Committee of Budget and Appropriations and Justice and Legal Affairs, which raised concerns regarding the supplementary estimates.

The report was tabled by the chairman of the Budget Committee, Sylvester Madialo, who accused the executive of carelessness in handling the supplementary budget.

The MCAs accused the executive of eliminating development projects worth over Sh1 billion during the preparation of the supplementary budget.

“These projects were identified, subjected to public participation, considered, approved and finally funds appropriated by the county assembly for implementation,” said Mr Madialo, who represents Usonga ward.

He added: “The total approved development budget for the financial year 2018/2019 was Sh2,565,171,129  and by proposing to eliminate projects worth Sh1 billion, it only implies that the county treasury will be interfering with nearly 50 per cent of the development budget.”

Mr Rasanga expressed shock at the decision to reject the supplementary budget, saying it would affect the county’s development plan.

Speaking on a local vernacular radio station soon after the MCAs rejected the budget, Rasanga said: “Some of the road projects we proposed were even requested by our leader Raila Odinga.”

New projects

Among the newly introduced projects that angered the MCAs were the rehabilitation of five dams at Sh28 million, eco-ablution whose locations of implementation is not known at Sh135 million, construction of Ngeta Kapongo water project at Sh25 million, Got Mbaga-Uranga-Nyadorera water pipeline at Sh15 million, centre of excellence at Sh20 million and construction of three maternity wings at Sh75 million.

Others are upgrading of a 10km Bar Kowino-Nango road at Sh350 million, the 2km Opoda-Nyakasumbi road at Sh70 million, and the 6km Segere-Ogaso road at Sh210 million.

Yimbo East MCA Francis Otiato, who is the chairman of the Justice and Legal Committee, argued that there was no evidence that the additions arose from requests from accounting officers.

“The figures the county government has captured as the approved budget estimates are in most cases not similar to what was approved by us.

“This means that the county treasury has a different copy of the budget from the one this assembly approved, which contravenes the law,” argued West Gem MCA Susan Okwiri.