MERU COUNTY: Members of the Meru County Assembly have accused Transition Authority Chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi of peddling lies over the cost of running ward offices in the counties.
Speaking at a press briefing in Meru, the MCAs led by Meru County Assembly Speaker Kaberia Arimba said the TA has outlived its usefulness and should be disbanded.
Kaberia said Wamwangi’s proposal that MCA’s can share offices with ward administrators disregards the principle of separation of powers between the county assembly and the executive.
“Ward offices are provided for by the law. Claiming that MCAs, who should exercise oversight over the executive, can share offices with the executive is ridiculous,” he remarked.
Kaberia further told off Wamwangi over remarks that County Public Service Boards are illegal.
“The TA should show evidence of county assemblies that have hired six staff members for MCAs, as the body is alleging,” said Kaberia.
His Deputy, Gideon Kimathi, who is the Abogeta West Ward, accused the TA Chairman of being used by MPs to fight MCAs.
CHANGE OF HEART
“When Kinuthia Wamwangi was under fire from MPs, he kept coming to us for support. We are surprised by the sudden change of heart. It seems there are forces using the TA to demoralise MCAs,” Kimathi said.
Igoji West MCA Kaumbuthu Chabari said the TA should be disbanded, as the devolved governments can now function without the body’s assistance.
“The Transition Authority was to midwife the devolution process. The baby was long born and is already walking yet the midwife does not want to leave the delivery room,” Chabari said. The Speaker also told off Wamwangi and the Constitution Implementation Commission (CIC) over sentiments that the Ward Development Fund is illegal.
“Only a court can adjudge the County Ward Development Fund as illegal,” Kaberia said.
Wamwangi has accused MCAs across the country of irregularly hiring and a ward manager, personal assistant, personal secretary, driver, guard and messenger at a cost of Sh875 million a month.
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