• CoB told Ngilu that the law she had quoted to make the request could not apply.
• Owing to the deadlock, Ngilu's administration has been unable to pay workers salaries and pay bills.
Image: MUSEMBI NZENGU
A budget stalemate between Kitui county assembly and the executive has proved inconvenient after Governor Charity Ngilu’s administration was barred from accessing cash from the County Revenue Fund.
Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o turned down a request from Ngilu to be allowed to access county funds, saying that Regulation 38 of the Public Finance Act that the governor had quoted in her request could not apply.
“Therefore, we reiterate our earlier sentiments imploring upon the county executive and the county assembly to resolve the impasse and pay regard to the sovereign will of the people of Kitui county who deserve the services,” the CoB said.
The CoB in the letter dated August 10 said she can only authorise a withdrawal from the County Revenue Fund of up to 50 per cent if the budget estimates had not been approved or unlikely to be approved by the county assembly.
“As rightly stated in your letter, the budget estimates for Kitui county were approved on the June 30, 2020, and as such, the provisions of the Regulation 38 cannot apply,” Nyakang’o told Ngilu.
She noted that the budget standoff was uncalled for, adding that the legislation process must be allowed to be undertaken to conclusion. Nyakang’o stressed the need for the executive and the county assembly to embrace conciliation to end the stalemate.
The impasse between the executive and the MCAs cropped up after Ngilu's administration failed to present to the assembly the 2020-21 Appropriation Bill in line with the approved budget.
The executive accused the assembly of making illegal amendments to the budget estimates before approving it on June 30.
Owing to the impasse, Ngilu's administration has been unable to pay workers salaries or pay bills. The financial woes facing Kitui came to the open after county secretary Joshua Chepchieng said they were unable to pay workers July salaries and other bills.
He said the county assembly had failed to allow vote on account spending. “This is to inform you that the county assembly has not yet given the county executive vote on account approval pending the consideration and approval of budget estimates for 2020-21,” Chepchieng said in a letter to all chief officers.
“This state of affairs has made the county executive unable to incur expenditure on various items including processing of salaries.”
Chepchieng said the information should be communicated to all Kitui county workers. On Wednesday, the Kitui county assembly leadership shifted the blame for the crisis to the executive.
Speaker George Ndotto, Majority leader Peter Kilonzo and MCAs Jane Mutua told officials of various workers union that the assembly passed the 2020-21 budget but the delay in payment of salary was occasioned by the executive.
The unionists, led by Kitui Union of Civil Servants secretary Benjamin Munyalo, said they are tired of the cat and mouse games with the county government.
Edited by A.N