• Finance CEC Achar was impeached and the Sh11.7 billion county budget was delayed for three months.
• Speaker Onyango Oloo was replaced on August 11.
Image: FAITH MATETE
Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o yesterday signed the Budget Appropriation Bill into law and accepted acting speaker Elisha Oraro’s election, signalling improved relations between the executive and MCAs.
The executive and MCAs have not been seeing eye to eye following the impeachment of Finance executive Nerry Achar and the delay in passing of the Sh11.7 billion county budget for three months.
Speaker Onyango Oloo was replaced on August 11. North Kisumu MCA Oraro was picked to replace him in an acting capacity during chaotic elections.
Nyong’o yesterday said he was persuaded that Oraro will steer the assembly in the right direction to deliver on its mandate. The governor promised a cordial working relationship with the county assembly.
Nyong’o said the delay in signing the bill has had some effects on the county fiscal operations.
“We are well at the tail end of the first quarter of the financial year. We must move fast to make up for the lost time. This budget which has 34 per cent allocation for development is well balanced in driving the implementation of my manifesto and our County Integrated Development plan,” he said.
The governor said they have made deliberate efforts to enhance direct investments in the wards and improved allocation to the county’s flagship projects.
Acting speaker Oraro and Majority leader Kenneth Onyango said they will work towards harmonising relations between the executive and MCAs.
On whether he will dismiss the embattled Achar, Nyong’o said he is yet to receive formal communication from the assembly regarding his impeachment.
Oraro said the assembly will be guided by an outcome from court after Achar filed a case challenging his impeachment.
Thirty-seven MCAs voted for Achar’s removal while three voted against his censure.
The ward reps accused Achar of incompetence and gross violation of the Constitution.
Kolwa East MCA Steve Owiti tabled the impeachment motion against Achar on July 30 and a select committee of 16 members was formed to investigate the allegations against him.
The MCAs found that Achar was culpable in the motion’s allegations hence unfit to hold any public office within the county.
Onyango said they will not allow external politics to divide members and distract them from discharging their roles.
He promised to rally the assembly to fast-track legislation on pending bills to ensure they become operational. MCAs said they elected Oraro as acting speaker until corruption charges against embattled incumbent Onyango Oloo are cleared.
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji called for the prosecution of Oloo over graft claims.
He is accused of receiving a Sh17 million bribe to authorise irregularities in the building of the Lake Basin Mall. This allegedly led to the inflation of the cost from Sh2.1 billion to Sh4.1 billion.
Oloo who appeared in court on September 10 denied the accusation. He also denied inflating the tender by Sh1.6 billion and wilfully failing to comply with the procurement law.