Embu MCAs demand appointment as county ministers

Muminji MCA Newton Kariuki and his Nthawa counterpart Kariuki Mwari at a past budget making meeting. [Joseph Muchiri, Standard]

Embu MCAs have demanded for constitutional change to allow them to be appointed to the County Cabinet.

Led by Muminji MCA Newton Kariuki, the leaders claimed that inaccessibility to the County Executive Committee (CEC) members and poor implementation of the budget was to blame for non-development.

 They said appointment of MCAs to the Cabinet would streamline operations of the county government.

Mr Kariuki said that Assembly Committee chairmen were forced to exchange sensitive information with CECs on phone because the are not available for grilling.

 “They do not respond to written correspondences on matters,” he said.

Education Committee Chairman Patrick Mukavi came under intense criticism by his colleagues after disclosing that he had only managed to communicate with a CEC on phone, and was thus not able to table a written statement on the affairs of the docket.

The Kyeni North MCA stated that though his committee had the power to summon members of the county cabinet to answer questions, his hands were tied because such attendance was voluntary.

Nominated MCA Ednah Muisyo conceded that there was a budget implementation hitch at the County Executive, which she attributed to laxity by senior officials.

 The MCAs demanded to be furnished with official reports whenever a matter affecting the running of the County Government is raised on the floor of the House.

The MCAs have in the past complained that the county’s senior officials had formed the tendency of slacking on their job then later overburdening the County Assembly with requests to re-appropriate funds through Supplementary Budgets every year.