Kieni MP Kanini Kega has blamed the influx of foreign trips by Nyeri MCAs on governor Nderitu Gachagua which Kega termed as “favours” to avoid impeachment.
Kega said that the MCA have now abandoned their people as their focus is on the foreign trips. “This is a misuse of public funds,” the MP said. The MP said that by the MCAs allowing themselves to be compromised, they are failing in their oversight role which amounts to “abandoning their people.” Nyeri MCAs have so far travelled to Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Italy and are presently in Israel.
The warning comes at a time when when Commission for Revenue Allocation revealed that MCAs have used sh2.8 billion on foreign trips by December 2013. Sh8.8 billion has been allocated to county assemblies for local and foreign trips.
Besides Israel, other popular destinations for the MCAs include: the USA, Dubai, Singapore, Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda, Malaysia, Germany and the United Arab Emirates.
CRA chairman Micah Cheserem has repeatedly warned county assemblies that if they fail to observe the budget ceiling as stipulated in the Public Finance Management framework, counties could face a cash crunch.