County changes heart on leasing of vehicles, opts to buy

The county has backtracked on its plan to lease vehicles for employees and now intends to purchase new ones.

In its 2020-2021 budget estimates before the assembly, the executive plans to use Sh40 million to buy new vehicles.

Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu, who doubles up as Finance executive, said they could no longer afford lease conditions given by car-hire firms.

Ntuchiu said while they were comfortable with leasing the vehicles and paying over four years in installments, the companies demanded payments within a period of two years.

“Two years didn't work well with our projections,” he said.

Ntuchiu said some of the county owned vehicles were inherited from the defunct municipal council and a number of administrators lacked vehicles to discharge their duties.

“The inherited vehicles are too old and their maintenance costs are high. Repair costs range from Sh600,000 to Sh1 million a year," he said.

"The ones used by the county executives are constantly breaking down while sub county administrators have no vehicles."

He said in the 2020-2021 financial year, they planned to buy five vehicles at about Sh3.6 million each.

Before the change of heart, the administration initially planned to use Sh125 million to lease vehicles and road upgrade equipment, arguing that the amount of money it was using on maintenance and fuel cost was high.

In the first phase of the leasing arrangement, the executives and chief officers were to get Subaru four-wheel drive models.

The assembly also plans to buy new vehicles for its leaders, including the speaker.