Blow to Waiguru as MCAs shoot down 2020/21 budget proposal

By GEORGE MUNENE

Kirinyaga ward reps on Wednesday shot down the executive’s proposed budget dealing a blow to Governor Anne Waiguru.

The MCAs voted to rejected Ms Waiguru’s memorandum on the 2020/2021 budget.

In a motion moved by Baragwi ward representative David Mathenge, 25 MCAs voted to shoot down the budget, one supported it and six others were absent.

One MCA abstained from the vote as the nasty political battle between the governor and the ward representatives threatens to grind normal operations of the county to a halt.

The MCAs insisted that the budget presented by the governor was not friendly to the residents.

“We have noted with concerns that the executive has allocated Sh30 million bursary for needy students instead of the Sh140 million we had proposed. Funds for ward development have also been reduced.

“This government has no interests of ordinary residents at heart and we cannot endorse such a budget,” Mr Mathenge said.

The assembly’s majority leader Kamau Murango accused Ms Waiguru’s administration of giving Environment and Gender department a raw deal when allocating funds for development.

“The budget is unacceptable and it should be rejected in totality,” said Mr Murango.