•Suit filed earlier accusing assembly of not following procedure when passing bill
•MCAs say county cannot wait for ruling set for May 6
Image: COURTESY
Ten Kiambu MCAs Kiambu have challenged in court a decision by the Controller of Budget not to approve any expenditure in the county.
The 10 ward reps say county operations have ground to a halt as a result.
They say the county is unable to provide medicine and supplies, thus endangering the lives of citizens.
They say the county is losing revenue due to lack of money to fuel the vehicles in the enforcement department to move around ensuring revenue is paid.
"The county government may not be able to pay the salaries of its staff and the civil servants in the devolved functions, including petitioners herein. This will set in another crisis when the civil servants down their tools," the court was told.
The 10 are Stanley Wanjiku, Peter Karuga, John Ngure, Samuel Kimani, Simon Kamau, Solomon Kinuthia, Gideon Gitau, Naphtaly Munyaka, Eliud Ngugi and Martin Njoroge.
Trouble began when another case was filed earlier, claiming that the county assembly while passing the Appropriation Bill did not follow the assembly rules and procedures.
However, the parties reached an agreement that the county be allowed to incur expenditure and rely on Kiambu County Appropriation Act awaiting the ruling of court scheduled for May 6.
The Controller of Budget, however, sent a letter declining any withdrawals.
"My only concern is that after the court order was served on the 2nd respondent (CoB), we have not been able to get approval to incur expenditure for the county at all," Finance executive Francis Kigo said.
On April 5, High Court judge James Makau issued an order suspending implementation of a supplementary appropriation budget pending the hearing and determination of the petition filed by 10 MCAs.
Now the MCAs say the county cannot wait until the May 6 ruling to withdraw money and want the case heard as a matter of urgency.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)