Meru MCAs yesterday walked out on Agriculture executive Karwitha Kiugu for failing to provide documents of a Sh4.3 million earthworm project.
The ward reps questioned why the project was tendered without public participation. They accused Kiugu of not consulting them and further claimed it was not budgeted for.
Akithia MCA David Kaithia complained: “In our approved supplementary budget there is no indication of the projects. Do CECs implement projects that were not even budgeted for? It is impunity.”
Majority leader Victor Mutuma defended the project and urged politicians to desist from politicising county projects.
Separately, Kiugu, told journalists that the project is meant to provide animal feed.
“Earthworms and black soldier flies decompose the waste adding fertility to the soil for crops. They are also used as feed for animals. We paid Sh2.5 million to JKUAT and not to a merchant as the auditor says," she said.
According to Auditor General Edward Ouko’s report, Governor Kiraitu Murungi’s administration Sh2.5 million was for the supply of 1,000 Eco-Tosha materials for earthworms and Sh1.8 million for 600 plastic drums in which to rear earthworms and black flies in the 45 wards.
However, there was no documentary evidence to show that the materials had been delivered.
The report said that Sh1.8 million for the drums was exorbitant as the the market price was Sh600,000.
The county, according to the AG, spent Sh4.39 billion to pay 4,584 employees in 2017-2018 compared to Sh3.12 billion in 2016-2017 financial year.
Some Sh1.72 billion was basic salaries, Sh77 million wages, Sh2.46 billion allowances and Sh124.2 million pension remittances.
