BOMET COUNTY ASSEMBLY BROKE

Activities at the Bomet County Assembly are likely to stall after it ran out of cash.

The assembly has depleted the Sh265 million it was allocated this financial year and is now needs money to survive until the next allocation.

Initially, the assembly had demanded the cash be increased to Sh336 million, saying what it was given was not enough to fund its operations including paying MCAs’ sitting allowances.

Deputy Governor Stephen Mutai has asked the assembly to borrow funds to enable it carry on with its activities.

Mr Mutai, who spoke in Bomet yesterday, dismissed a proposal by Speaker Geoffrey Kipng’etich for the assembly to close until its financial problems are solved.

“Closing the assembly is uncalled for as it would be drastic and unconstitutional,” he said. He said the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), the Executive and the assembly would meet on Tuesday to discuss the crisis.

CLOSE SHOP

“A supplementary budget will be tabled in the next one week by the executive and is expected to address the financial deficit facing the assembly,” said Mr Mutai.
“The assembly should not close shop as this will affect the running of both executive and the legislature,” he added.

Mr Mutai said he had received a letter from the Speaker, seeking a meeting with the Executive to discuss the crisis.

“I have consulted the CRA and we have agreed to have a meeting on March 31 to address the issue,” he said.

Mr Mutai said the county could not give the assembly more money than what the CRA had permitted.

“The assembly could also realign its budget to its programs. It can also borrow to survive in the meantime before the matter is addressed,” he said, adding that the Executive could stop implementation of some programmes, with the authority of CRA.

Governor Isaac Ruto said the assembly must stick to its budget as directed by the Controller of Budget and CRA.