PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA Mombasa MCAs address a press conference on the
problem of hawkers in the coastal town’s CBD. They are among the few who
have not made foreign trips since they were elected.
NATION
County assemblies have spent millions of shillings to finance non-essential foreign trips by their members.
The
representatives—known as Members of County Assemblies (MCAs)—have
justified the trips by arguing that they help them learn the best
practices in other countries.
The most popular destinations are Israel, Dubai, Zanzibar and Rwanda.
Currently,
MCAs from Taita-Taveta County are in Zanzibar, while those from Mandera
County are in Israel. Those from Uasin Gishu are in Rwanda.
FEW AND FAR BETWEEN
Those
from Nyeri visited Ethiopia last year and will leave for Rwanda
tomorrow. Others from Machakos recently returned from Dubai.
The
speaker of the Nairobi City County Assembly, Mr Alex ole Magelo,
defended the trips made by MCAs from Nairobi, saying, they were few and
far between compared to other counties. The last trip they made was to
Denver in the US. During the trip, the leaders spent Sh3.9 million.
Mr
Magelo said the trip was beneficial because delegation got assistance
from the Denver City, which is rehabilitating a primary school in
Nairobi.
“As a result of the visit to the United
States, Kenya will be getting back some artifacts that were taken
illegally which are worth millions and are now displayed in museums in
the US,” he said.
Another team of five MCAs and county executive members visited London on November 6 to attend an International Trade Fair.
Mr
Magelo said this was important because the county had to assure foreign
businessmen attending the fair that Nairobi was safe despite the
September attack on the Westgate mall.
The Controller
of Budget recently asked county governments to be more prudent and cut
down on foreign travel. Ms Agnes Odhiambo said some counties spent
millions of shillings on expensive trips abroad, training and other
engagements that did not add value to their counties.
“There
is a lot of extravagance. We have spent much on foreign travel and
other endeavours. If there are visits, we should have reports on them
and the public should be told about their benefits,” she told the Senate
Committee on Finance last week.
Her office had earlier
established through an audit that most counties spent cash on recurrent
expenditure, leaving little for development.
The
report established that 27 counties had spent allocations for July to
September in paying salaries, travel, hospitality and maintenance.
In Kiambu, foreign trips started in earnest towards the end of November 2013.
RECREATION PARK
MCAs from the county travelled to Israel in groups of between 10 and 15 members. Another group also travelled to South Africa.
In
Machakos, 60 MCAs, including Speaker Bernard Mungata recently returned
from a week-long trip to Dubai where they had gone to get first-hand
information on a recreational park similar to the one the County
Government is putting up in Machakos. The county expects to open the
park to the public on Valentine’s Day next month.
The MCAs were joined in the trip by Governor Alfred Mutua and chief of staff Mwengi Mutuse.
Last
July, the 60 MCAs together with about 10 members of the executive, made
their first trip abroad on a South African tour. They also visited
Turkey, Rwanda, Israel and Dubai.
Mr Mungata defended
the trips, saying, they are important for their growth “as the countries
so far visited have some common practices with us.” Trip money was
provided for in the county’s budget, he added.
MCAs
from Kitui are on a 10-day educational tour of various cities in
Israel—the second group to visit the Middle East country this month.
They flew out last Wednesday and are expected back on Saturday.
County
Speaker George Ndotto, whose office was responsible for arranging the
trip, is leading the delegation. The cost of the trip could not be
established, but runs into millions of shillings.
Besides
the air travel costs, insurance, accommodation in Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem, each member was paid a daily allowance of Sh31,000. The money
was deposited in the MCAs bank accounts before they flew out.
The County Assembly Speaker, his deputy and the majority leader’s allowances for the trip are slightly higher.
MODERN AGRICULTURE
The trip, which will include a visit to Bethlehem, is meant to teach the MCAs about modern agriculture.
In
Nyeri, MCA have spent more than Sh10 million on two foreign trips in
the recent past. The officials, including Speaker David Mugo and the
Majority leader, Mr Anthony Kibuu, said the trips had been budgeted for.
Interestingly, the trip to Ethiopia did not involve a select group, but the entire assembly, including staff.
During
the trip, the members were divided into two groups with the first
group being led by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Joel Gichuru.
A
representative said the team did not visit any coffee farm although the
coffee industry in Ethiopia was one of the reasons for the Sh11.6
million mission.
Another MCA said every member on the trip was paid Sh172,000 as per diem amounting to Sh8.6 million for the 50 members.
A return Air ticket for each member cost Sh60,000.
Early
this month, the MCAs also toured Tanzania to learn how that country has
managed to make mountain climbing a top revenue earner for its economy.
“We
want to make good use of our two natural resources—Mt Kenya and the
Aberdare Ranges—just like Tanzanians are benefiting from Mt
Kilimanjaro,” Mr Kibuu said.
In Nakuru, delegations
from the county made several trips to various countries between July and
October last year. These included the United States, Finland, Israel,
China and Spain.
Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, defended the trips, saying, they were important in making contacts with investors.
However,
a week-long trip to Uganda by MCAs in July drew protests from the
public and the civil society after it emerged that the officials had
spent Sh16 million.
The trip came at a time when Mr Mbugua was dealing with the rejection of his county executive committee nominees by the MCAs.
In
Mandera, the minority leader in the county assembly, Mr Abdirashid
Maalim, has raised the red flag over a trip to Israel, which is
estimated to have cost Sh15 million.
The 14-day trip by 27 MCAs was paid for by the County Assembly.
In Uasin Gishu, the County Assembly and the Executive continue to trade accusations on how to manage the foreign trips.
The
Governor, Mr Jackson Mandago, criticised the MCAs for spending too much
time on foreign trips at the expense of passing the relevant
legislation to facilitate the work of his executive.
ASSEMBLY BUDGET
“These
county reps recently went to Rwanda at a cost of Sh20 million. The
money could have been diverted to other projects such as roads,” he
said.
But assembly speaker Isaac Terer and leader of
Majority Josephat Lowoi said on phone from Rwanda that the trips were
financed from the assembly budget that had been approved in line with
the law.
“Our trip is for the betterment of the people, he” said.
The MCAs will spend six days in Rwanda.
In
Baringo, MCAs toured Rwanda and Uganda mid last yea to learn best
practices. The cost of the trips, which involved 30 MCAs could not be
established.
Kisumu County was also on the spot over a private trip to Germany for 11 MCAs who were paid Sh33,000 each unprocedurally.
Last year, 47 county representatives spent Sh7.5 million on a six-day study tour to Uganda.
According
to the Hansard of August 6, the assembly also approved Sh694,847 for
Speaker Anne Adul to attend the National Conference of State Legislature
in Atlanta, Georgia between August 11 and 15.
The only MCAs, who have not been out of the country since they assumed office last year are from Mombasa.
Reported
by Patrick Nzioka, John Ngirachu, Bob Odalo, James Ngunjiri, Stephen
Muthini, Copperfield Lagat, Wycliff Kipsang, Tom Matoke, Daniel Nyassy,
Abdimalik Hajir, Jonathan Manyindo, Moraa Obiria, Moses Odhiambo,
Maurice Kalouch Geoffrey Rono, Benson Amadala, Derick Luveg, Farouk
Mwabege and Kitavi Mutua
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