MCAs’ Sh348m office block work begins in Homa Bay

An earth mover at the construction site of a Sh348 million five-storey building that will house MCAs' offices in Homa Bay County. [James Omoro, Standard]

Homa Bay County Assembly has started constructing offices for MCAs at cost of Sh348 million.

The new building sits some 30 metres away from the assembly and is expected to give the ward reps an easy time in doing their duties.

The building by Hatland Construction Ltd, which will take one-and-half years, will host 64 offices for nominated and elected MCAs.

Acting Speaker Evans Marieba yesterday said funds for the construction are drawn from the county assembly annual budget allocations.

The money will be drawn from budgets of three financial years starting from the previous year.

“We already have Sh90 million from the 2018/19 budget. The construction programme will also utilise funds from the current budget and that of 2020/21 financial year,” said Marieba.

He went on: “We intend to construct a footbridge that connects the officers to the county assembly plenary to make the movement between the two buildings efficient.”

None of the current MCAs has an office save for the Speaker, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and the whips.

Majority Leader Walter Muok said lack of offices had reduced MCAs to operating from briefcase offices which are not efficient for service delivery.

“MCAs are forced to use their vehicles in serving the electorate. Others meet voters in the corridors of the assembly, a situation which is a little bit demoralising,” he said.

The contractor was on the site last week before he started the work yesterday with a promise to keep the completion timeline.