• MCAs say their demands must be included in budget before tabling.
• Majority leader Joel Ongoro says demands are unlawful.
Kakamega MCAs want the assembly leadership to give them more money before debating the budget on Tuesday.
The ward reps were on Sunday lobbying through their WhatsApp group for a house allowance of Sh60,000, an increase in their office operational allocation from Sh80,000 per year currently to Sh150,000 and Sh50,000 each for public participation in their wards.
MCAs are not entitled to house allowance because they work from their villages. Public participation is usually done through departmental committees.
The assembly budget is Sh1.06 billion, out of which Sh624 million is meant for salaries and the rest for operations the whole year.
The county executive and assembly have a cumulative budget of Sh14 billion. The budget has increased from Sh9 billion in 2013-14 despite failure by the county to meet its own revenue targets.
Chegulo MCA Jason Lutomia accused the assembly of hiding the House budget and said their demands must be included in the estimates before tabling.
“Nominated MCAs should get all their remaining staff in this year’s budget,” he said.
But majority leader Joel Ongoro said the demands were unlawful and the assembly leadership will not be cowed into accepting them.
“All these things are illegalities. MCAs should feel free to do their oversight roles because that is what they were elected to do. It should not appear like MCAs survive on allowances because they earn salaries for what they do,” he said.
The MCAs claimed a circular from the Commission on Revenue Allocation asks the assembly to give all nominated reps three staff but it has not been implemented.
But Ongoro said what the CRA issued was an advisory and that such a directive can only be issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
The county executive hosted all MCAs for three days in Kisumu two weeks ago in what the assembly leadership said was an attempt to bond the two arms.
The assembly leadership said that the meeting was meant to allow committees to write their reports. A nominated MCA confirmed to the Star that they were allocated one staff each.