- The assemblies had Sh2.47 billion to spend on their sitting allowance. The expenditure translates to Sh81.3 per cent of the set target.
- The expenditure is also a decline from the ones the legislators posted in the previous financial year, which stood at 84.7 per cent, representing Sh2.18 billion.
Image: COURTESY
Members of county assemblies spent Sh2 billion on their sitting allowances in the last financial year, an audit by the Controller of Budget has shown.
In its latest report from June 2021 to July 2022, Controller of Budget Mary Nyakang’o says the money spent still falls short of the budgeted amount.
There are 2,224 MCAs.
The assemblies had Sh2.47 billion to spend on their sitting allowance.
The expenditure translates to Sh81.3 per cent of the set target.
“The county assemblies spent Sh2.01 billion on MCAs' sitting allowances against an approved budget allocation of Sh2.47 billion during the reporting period,” the report reads.
The expenditure is a decline from what the legislators posted in the previous financial year, which stood at 84.7 per cent, representing Sh2.18 billion.
Migori, Homa Bay and Kisii topped the list of the counties that paid the highest monthly sitting allowances to the MCAs.
The 57 MCAs in Migori received an average of Sh160,112 per month, Homa Bay’s 60 MCAs got Sh138,674 per month while Kisii’s 71 got 126,079 each.
Kajiado, Wajir and Mandera saw the least amount of monthly allowances to the MCAs at an average of Sh16,137, Sh21,287 and Sh26,818 per month.
Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kiambu, Kisii, Meru and Migori are among the leading counties in terms of cumulative sitting allowance budget allocation.
They are Sh117 million, 133 million, 120 million, 107 million, 104 million and 109 million respectively.
But it is not clear whether sitting allowances will still be paid to the MCAs after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission abolished it, alongside that of the members of Parliament effective August 9.
Only sitting allowances had been withdrawn and not committee allowances.
But the SRC boss Lyn Mengich has come under intense criticism over the review, with MPs threatening to initiate their removal from office.
“We are not targeting MPs and MCAs. They are the only public officers who get sitting allowances,” Mengich had said in defence of the move.
The commission is however embroiled in a tussle with the MPs as the lawmakers demand that the allowance be reinstated.
Should there be a breakthrough in the strained negotiation between the MPs and the commission, the grassroots lawmakers will also benefit from it.
Under the new SRC guideline, the MCAs will earn a gross monthly salary of Sh144,375.
The new allowance review will see MCAs who sit on committees paid a minimum of Sh6,500 per sitting to a maximum of Sh104,000 per month for the chairperson, and Sh5,200 per sitting to a maximum of Sh83,200 per month for members.
In February 2021, the MCAs were allowed a Sh2 million car grant, 30 per cent tax was charged on the grants.