How 2019/2020 Elgeyo Marakwet budget crisis was settled – Weekly Citizen

The differences over the signing of the 2019/2020 Elgeyo Marakwet county budget was thrashed out clearing way for payment of salaries and provision of other basic services.
According to a statement from the office, Commission of Revenue Allocation, Governor Alex Tolgos signed financial warrants to allow the county to access funds to immediately pay workers and purchase essential utilities like drugs.

Tolgos

The deal brokered by Tolgos and leader of majority Nathan Chelang’a sees the county division of revenue Act and county allocation revenue Act being passed. This will enable additional funds to the county to address the budget deficit in the executive.
A technical committee comprising of two officials each from CRA, Office of the Controller of Budget, county executive and assembly was formed to tackle the issues within the next two weeks.
The governor had declined to assent to the 2019/2020 appropriation Bill unless the county assembly ceded part of its budget to finance personnel emolument amounting to Sh70 million and a further Sh40 million for medical insurance.
The assembly on its part refused to accommodate the governor’s amendments in the Bill, saying they will not relinquish any of its allocations to the executive saying they needed the monies to oversight the executive.
Tolgos in reaction said he will not pay the July salaries and the subsequent months until the stalemate is resolved leading to the staff threatening to lay down their tools if their salaries are not paid. The mediations was led by the CRA chairperson Jane Kiringai, Joseph Tutula and Waweru Tuti. Others who attended were deputy governor Wisley Rotich, finance CEC, Isaac Kamar and clerk to the assembly Jane Mutai.