Nyeri MCAs pocket millions in pay despite skipping sessions

Five MCAs attend a session at the Nyeri County Assembly. Nyeri MCAs are skipping assembly sittings but still earn millions in allowances. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • On average, 10 out of the 47 MCAs attend assembly sessions which run from Tuesday through to Thursday.
  • The opening session lasted 10 minutes with only five MCAs in attendance.
  • Nation.co.ke was denied such permission on Tuesday, when there were less than 10 MCAs in the House.
  • Any MCA who signs the attendance register is paid an allowance, no matter how long they sit in the House.

Nyeri ward representatives are skipping assembly sittings but still earn millions in allowances.

This as the House is hit by low attendance as the ward reps start campaigns to defend their seats.

The fourth session has made history as the worst attended.

On average, 10 out of the 47 MCAs attend assembly sessions which run from Tuesday through to Thursday.

Since the Assembly resumed on February 9, 2016, the Speaker has adjourned sitting thrice due to lack of quorum.

The opening session lasted 10 minutes with only five MCAs in attendance.

To prevent them from taking photos of empty chambers, journalists have to get permission from the Speaker to bring cameras to the gallery.

Nation.co.ke was denied such permission on Tuesday, when there were less than 10 MCAs in the House.

This is despite the fact that taxpayers forked Sh19.6 million to pay the MCAs sitting allowances in 2015.

SPENT MORE THAN ALLOWED

In February 2016, the Controller of Budget also singled out Nyeri as one of the counties that has spent more money to pay for allowances than is allowed by the law.

During one of the poorly attended sessions, temporary Speaker John King’ori ordered that only the eight present in the chambers should sign the attendance register, which is used to determine which MCAs earn sitting allowances.

But even the few that show up often never sit through the sessions.

They mostly arrive, pick the order paper and a bottle of water and then leave after signing the attendance register.

Others show up at the end of the sitting.

BUSINESS CONTINUES

Any MCA who signs the attendance register is paid an allowance, no matter how long they sit in the House.

Speaker David Mugo said that the House business continues even in the absence of MCAs.

“As long as there is a quorum, my duties are to preside over the Assembly sitting,” said Mr Mugo.

Majority Leader Duncan Gituanja has, however, defended his fellow ward reps saying that MCAs were not absconding sittings.

He said that although the MCAs sign the attendance register and walk out of the chambers, the reps are usually in the precincts of the Assembly performing official functions like holding committee meetings.

“The Speakers grants MCAs permission to hold their committee meetings or compile reports and some are out drafting motions,” said Mr Gituanja.

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