MCAs demand financial autonomy in BBI proposals

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:04 pm

MCAs want county assemblies to be financially independent in proposals to the Building Bridges Initiative.

The County Assemblies Forum said the county assemblies’ financial autonomy was key to the proper dispensation of their mandate as well as respect for separation of powers.

The forum is pushing for a complete financial de-linking of county legislatures from the executives.

CAF secretary general Kipkurui Chepkwony said the ward reps had resolved to push for recognition of the ward as the basic unit of development.

During a meeting held at Mountain Breeze Hotel in Embu, MCAs from eight counties of eastern Kenya said they supported constitutional change.

They called for a law entrenching the Ward Development Fund to guarantee development in every part of the 47 counties.

The leaders called for fast tracking of the Ward Development Fund Bill at the Senate, as well as anchoring of the CAF in law under the Intergovernmental Relations Act, 2012.

CAF chairman Ndegwa Wahome, speaker of Nyandarua county assembly, addressed MCAs from Makueni, Machakos Kitui, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Isiolo and Marsabit.

He proposed that the minimum shareable revenue to county assemblies should be 45 per cent of the national audited accounts.