Fury as county reps spend Sh20m on Uganda trip

 By Alex Kiprotich and Robert Kiplagat

Baringo, Kenya: There is public outcry in Baringo County after it emerged Members of the County Assembly are spending over Sh20 million on a five-day trip to Uganda.

The 30 county ward representatives and subordinate staff left for Uganda on Tuesday on what County Speaker William Kamket termed a benchmarking exercise.

The group boarded two buses on a road trip residents have described as misplaced priority given the fact that the county is reeling from insecurity and famine.

The assembly members abandoned key business in the House such as the approval of the county public service board, which they earlier rejected, and the swearing-in of nominated members.

“We will be in Uganda for five to six days. We are visiting six counties, which include Kampala City, Mbarara and Masaka,” said Kamket on telephone from Uganda.

He said the cost of the trip should not be an issue given that democracy is an expensive affair. “Democracy is expensive and for me the cost should not be an issue,” he said when asked about the amount of money they will spend. He later referred us to Town Clerk Joseph Koech.