• The Public Administration and ICT committee led by Okumu Majimbo said this is because no money was budgeted to hire the administrators.
• But in statement, Wangamati dismissed the claims by the MCAs
A committee of the Bungoma county assembly has accused the administration of planning to use pension and gratuity funds to hire village administrators.
The Public Administration and ICT committee chaired by Okumu Majimbo said this is because no money was budgeted for to hire the administrators.
"Public Administration executive Richard Sabwami has been lying to the public that the executive has the budget for the employment of the ward administrators. Shockingly, we have been told that it is the pension and gratuity money," he said.
He said secretary to the County Public Service Board Joseph Makata had given them documents showing they planned to divert the pensions’ money.
Majimbo asked Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati to stop undermining the authority of the assembly.
But in statement, Wangamati dismissed the claims by the MCAs.
The governor’s communications boss Tim Machi said suggestions that there is no budget to employ village administrations is inaccurate.
Sabwami said that they budgeted Sh301 million for the department in 2020-21.
"It was later reduced to Sh240 million where Sh204 million will be used for salaries, Sh8 million for gratuity and Sh28 million set aside for recruitment of village administrators," Sabwami said.
The executive said they need Sh40 million for the administrators salaries. They’ll need another Sh12 million from the supplementary budget.
But Majimbo said there are wards with boundary and name disputes and unless they are resolved nothing will take place.
"Areas like East Sang'alo, Lwandanyi, Kapkateny and Elgon wards are facing disputes of boundary and names, the issue should be resolved first before we proceed," he said.