Ward reps on spot for overspending on allowances

Ward Reps across various counties are once again on the spot for drawing more allowances than what the Salaries and Remuneration Commission recommends.

The office of the Controller of Budget, in its latest annual county governments’ budget implementation report, particularly pointed an accusing finger at Ward Reps from Vihiga, Nyamira, Kisii and Homa Bay counties, who spent in excess of the SRC ceiling of Sh124,800 by huge margins.

According to the report, the 47 counties spent Sh2.82 billion on MCAs sitting allowance in the 2015/16 financial year.

The allowances are paid for attending plenary sessions and committee meetings. Besides the sitting allowances, the MCAs earn a monthly allowance and mileage allowance.

In Vihiga County for instance, the 39 MCAs drew an average of Sh185,966 monthly allowance each, a whopping Sh61,166 above the SRC ceiling.

In Nyamira County, the 33 MCAs pocketed a monthly sitting allowance of Sh166,116 each, which was Sh41,316 more than the recommended Sh124,800.

They were paid two times more than what their counterparts in Uasin Gishu got, where the 45 Ward Reps and the Speaker were paid Sh76,519 as sitting allowance.

Kisii County overspent its annual budgetary allocation for sitting allowances for the 71 ward reps and the Speaker by Sh42.93 million, gobbling Sh133.34 million against Sh90.41 million. This was an increase compared to Sh118.40 million spent in the previous financial year.

The Kisii MCAs pocketed Sh154,326 monthly allowances, Sh29,526 more than what SRC recommends each of the MCA.

In Homa Bay, the 64 MCAs drew an average monthly allowance of Sh148,688, which was Sh23,888 more than the SRC monthly ceiling.

Makueni’s 47 MCAs spent Sh960,000 more than the Sh51.39 million they were allocated for the year, with each pocketing Sh90,894.

Kajiado’s 41 MCAs spent Sh37.49 million on their allowances against an annual budget allocation of Sh66.33 million. This was, however, a decrease compared to Sh58.61 million spent in 2014/2015.

The average monthly sitting allowance was Sh74,402, which is within the SRC ceiling.

Garissa’s 49 MCAs pocketed an average allowance of Sh129,202.

Isiolo, Kiambu and Nyamira exhausted their annual budgetary allocations for the sitting allowances of Sh16.67 million, Sh100 million and Sh67.78 million, respectively.
The situation was not any different in the Rift Valley region, with the report revealing that 97 MCAs from Trans-Nzoia, West Pokot and Samburu were overpaid their monthly allowances.
On the spot is Samburu County, which overshot its annual budgetary allocation for MCAs sitting allowances by Sh1.69 million.
Each of the 26 MCAs and the Speaker pocketed an average monthly sitting allowance of Sh137, 844, more than the recommended SRC ceiling of Sh124,800 per month.
The county spent Sh44.66 million on sitting allowances for its 26 MCAs and the Speaker against the annual budget of Sh42.97 million, an increase compared to Sh37.7 million spent in 2014/2015.

In Trans-Nzoia, each of the 39 MCAS and the Speaker was paid an average monthly sitting allowance of Sh157,183.

The county spent Sh75 million on sitting allowances for the MCAs against the annual budget allocation of Sh78 million.

The Controller of Budget’s office, however, noted that this was a decrease compared to the Sh89 million in the 2014/2015 financial year.

In West Pokot County, the 32 ward representatives pocketed an average monthly sitting allowance of Sh132,042. The county spent Sh52.29 million on allowances against its annual budget of the same amount.

It was among the four counties that also exhausted their annual budgetary allocation for sitting allowances, alongside Uasin Gishu, Bomet, and Elgeyo Marakwet.

Bomet spent Sh28.30 million on sitting allowances for the 35 MCAs and the Speaker against its annual budgetary allocation of Sh28.30 million, which was a decrease compared to Sh44.82 million spent in 2014/2015.

The average monthly sitting allowance paid to each MCA was Sh67,371 compared to SRC’s recommended monthly ceiling.

Elgeyo Marakwet’s 30 MCAs drew an average monthly allowance of Sh111,548 and exhausted their annual budgetary allocation of Sh41.5 million for the same.

OVERSHOT BUDGET ALLOCATION

Kericho’s 47 MCAs and the Speaker drew Sh123,432 in their monthly allowances, spending Sh71.10 million against an annual budget of Sh77.60 million. The expenditure, however, grew from Sh58.58 million spent in 2014/2015.

In Nakuru, the allowances paid to the 75 MCAs and the Speaker amounted to Sh79.59 million against an annual budget allocation of Sh87.45 million.

It was a marked improvement as the MCAs had overshot their budget in 2014/2015 spending Sh100.45 million on allowances. The average monthly sitting allowance was Sh88,444 in the year under review.

In Narok, the expenditure on allowances for the 48 MCAs and the Speaker grew by Sh6 million from the last financial year when the MCAs spent Sh39.23 million. The average monthly sitting allowance was Sh78,521.

Laikipia County spent Sh31.50 million, close to double the amount it spent on sitting allowances for the 23 MCAs and the Speaker in 2014/2015.

This was against the annual budgetary allocation of Sh35.98 million, which was an increase compared to Sh17.04 million spent for the purpose in the previous financial year.

The average monthly sitting allowance for each MCA was Sh109,431.

In Baringo County, the 49 Ward Reps and their Speaker spent Sh49 million on sitting allowances against an annual budget allocation of Sh50.21 million. The average monthly sitting allowance was Sh84,804.

In Nandi County, the Ward Reps spent Sh58.70 million as their sitting allowances. The average monthly sitting allowance was Sh99,837.