Kisumu MCAs are embroiled in a standoff with the executive over a Sh10 billion budget.
The MCAs failed to beat the deadline for passing the budget as required by law.
Majority leader Kenneth Onyango said they will not to pass the budget until they are provided with a list of pending bills as at June 30 and opening and closing balances from the executive.
“We are not interested in sideshows. All we want is to be furnished with the documents we need to help us pass the budget,” Onyango said.
The MCAs also demanded letters of proof for the conditional grants and opening balances amongst others.
Onyango noted that it was important the conditional grants are declared as to assist in the implementation of projects and avoid duplication.
Deputy speaker Roy Samo accused the executive of being insincere over the budget, saying they are committed to passing it.
“Give us the information we have requested before we pass the budget. We must protect the wishes of the residents as the assembly,” he said.
Samo dismissed claims that the assembly was corrupt, saying was simply fighting for the right of citizens.
The ward representatives also want 40 per cent of the budget allocated to development.
Samo accused Deputy Governor Mathews Owili of engaging in sideshows after accusing the assembly of being corrupt.
“This is someone who cannot be elected even the chairman of a cattle dip. If it was not for Governor Anyang Nyong’o he could have not been elected,” Samo said.
In the last financial year, Samo said over 50 per cent of the development money was not spent.
He said the budget will not be passed as long as they are not given the information they have asked for.
“We are not worried about our salaries but the community must receive what they are looking for in terms of development,” Samo said.
On Monday, Owili downplayed the standoff saying the assembly has not rejected the budget.
The MCAs had only deferred the discussion of the budget committee report to July 10 in order to receive clarifications on certain aspects of the budget, he said.
In a hard-hitting statement, Owili accused speaker Onyango Oloo of corruption and misleading the public over the budget.
He said Oloo wanted the county to allocate Sh600 million for building a new assembly, but only Sh500 million was available as per guidelines by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
The MCAs denied they had requested Sh250 million out of the total budget of Sh500 million.
Owili said the county cannot use public money to solve the needs of individuals. “We are aware that we should construct the assembly but we can only use Sh500 million,” he said.
He said Oloo had no moral authority to talk about corruption or lecture the executive on how to spend county funds.
“The speaker is aware of who he is. In the past, the county got qualified opinion from the Auditor General. We got qualified opinion because of the accounts books he [Oloo] is in charge of. In fact, the assembly had an adverse opinion,” he said.
He told the speaker to ensure funds allocated to the assembly are used prudently.
Owili told Kenyans to stop electing leaders with questionable character. But Oloo said he would stand firm to ensure proper use of public money.
“We will do everything possible within our powers to stop the stealing of public cash,” he said.
