Nairobi county plans to spend Sh500 million to acquire the official residences for the governor and the deputy.
This is way above the cap by the Senate at Sh45 million for the governor official residence, Sh40 million for the deputy and Sh35 million for the speaker.
The Treasury in 2019 indicated it was spending Sh5 million in monthly rent for governors, Sh4.51 million for deputies and Sh3.75 million for assembly speakers, which was a burden to taxpayers.
The Salaries and Renumeration Committee later directed that all the counties build residential houses for top officials within two years as it planned to cut on the monthly allowances.
It has been paying Sh200,000 monthly house allowance to the holders of the offices.
While the officers need official residences, Nairobi does not deserve to spend the amount since already, there is one in Lavington that just needs sprucing up for use by the governor.
The amount proposed for the purchase of the two houses is enough to put up a school or hospital in the city, which will be of greater benefit to the residents.
Counties must get their priorities right. Some have already splashed million into putting up castles for the governors yet there are other pressing issues.
The Senate must put its foot down and insist counties stick to the spending cap it placed on the purchase or construction of official homes for top officials.
