Meru MCAs have accused Governor Kiraitu Murungi's administration of low absorption of development funds.
They also complained about the high and unsustainable wage bill. The ward reps say the county treasury exaggerated pending bills to the tune of Sh600 million.
County Budget and Appropriations committee chair Julius Mbijiwe tabled the County Fiscal Strategy Paper for financial year 2019-2020. He blamed the county executive for setting unattainable revenue targets.
The report says the unrealistic targets lead the executive to commit itself to undertake various projects but which are never done because of a shortfall in revenue.
“The county treasury must formulate effective strategies for curbing the high wage bill within the County Public Service and the strategies to be forwarded to the assembly at the time of submission of the budget estimates for Meru County in the financial year 2019/2020," the report says.
Deputy Speaker Elius Murega, Shadrack Kamencu, Kimathi Ithibua, Andermson Muriki, Gacheri Muthuri were among the dissenting reps in the assembly.
Gacheri termed the Sh80 million milk program a cash cow as the farmer’s milk prices have never increased despite high demand for the commodity.
The MCAs advised the county treasury to get new revenue streams to enhance local collection, reduce the tax burden on the public and improve investor confidence in the county.
“In financial year 2019-2020 county treasury is to register 200, 000 households, each household to pay Sh2000, projected to equate to Sh400 million. The minority suggests that the Meru Care project be shelved until 2020-2021 to allow the national government to complete pilot project of free universal health care rolled in four counties. The health department should focus on the myriad challenges including inadequate drugs, inadequate health personnel, and infrastructure issues,” the report says.
The committee noted that the county treasury undertook public participation in only 22 wards out of the 45 and did not consult the Commission for Revenue Allocation as per the law.
