- This comes as national and county assemblies close House business ready for the coming 2022 general election.
- Musa said if the supplementary budget is left pending, it might cause inconveniences to the government services.
Image: AURA RUTH
Mombasa MCAs on Wednesday postponed adjournment of house business to clear urgent issues before proceeding on recess.
National and county assemblies are closing business for the August general election.
The National Assembly adjourned on Thursday. Kilifi county assembly is also among counties that have gone for a recess sine die. They took the break on Thursday 9.
Leader of majority Hamisi Musa moved a motion to alter the calendar of the county assembly by extending the date of adjournment from June 15 to June 22.
“We extended the adjournment date because we need to pass the supplementary budget, which is important to the government before proceeding for recess sine die,” he said.
Musa said if the supplementary budget is left pending, it might cause inconveniences to government services.
“We cannot ignore passing of the supplementary budget. We also want to leave the county executive in good hands for the benefit of the people who elected us," he said.
In the financial year 2021/2022, Mombasa county received a budget of Sh14.8 billion.
Apart from the supplementary bill, deputy speaker Fadhili Makarani said there are some pending bills which are yet to be passed including the budget finance bill.
“In the devolved government, assemblies are not usually closed, we are allowed to go for a recess sine die meaning the speaker can recall us anytime in case there is anything to be brought to the House. Therefore we might be called back anytime for a sitting to discuss the pending bills,” he said.
The deputy speaker said this is unlike the previous government which did not allow House business after assemblies are closed.
“We also have some bills which arrived from the Auditors General which were tabled on Tuesday which are yet to be discussed. These are some of the things that pushed the postponement of the adjournment date,” he said.
As the House business comes to an end after five years of service, there are still incomplete projects which are pending including the Shika Adabu health centre in Likoni subcounty and Digirikani ECD in Mwakirunge.
The Marimani health centre is also a stalled project yet to be opened.
Makarani said these are projects which are taken by the Executive and their work as the assembly is to oversee.
“Our work as MCAs is to carry out an oversight on the Executive projects, therefore the next House will continue from where we left to ensure all the pending and incomplete projects are done,” he said.
Mombasa county has 42 MCAs, 12 nominated and 30 elected who are in the process of doing clearing as their term in the government office comes to an end.
-Edited by SKanyara