The 2023/2024 Uasin Gishu budget-making process has been thrown in limbo after the County Assembly on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, adjourned sine dine.
MCAs voted to have the assembly adjourned indefinitely in line with resolutions reached during a recent meeting that brought together Speakers of the County Assemblies as well as majority and minority leaders.
The meeting agreed that all county assemblies be adjourned until when the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) will listen to their demands for better remunerations and other benefits.
To effect the resolution, the Uasin Gishu County Assembly leader of the majority Julius Sang moved a motion for the adjournment sine dine.
Coincidentally, the motion was moved on a day the Finance and Economic Planning County Executive had been scheduled to present a budget statememt at the Assembly.
County Budget Proposal
The county government communication team had even invited journalists to cover the budget presentation event.
“The CECM Finance and Economic Planning Micah Rogony will today present the Annual Budget Proposal before the County Assembly. The CECM will have the traditional photo session at the County HQ at exactly 12:00 Noon then leave to the County Assembly,” read part of the invite to the media.
However, the event did not happen with the MCAs instead debating the adjournment motion.
While moving the motion, the leader of the majority said the MCAs were not against the county budget but had to fight for better remuneration.
The MCAs are demanding that their salaries be higher than those of County Executive Committee Members (CECM) and Chief Officers.
They also want plenary allowances to be reinstated.
“Without allowances, no debate will go on in this county assembly. Why would I come here for a debate when I can be with the people at the grassroots? Only the allowances will revive the assembly,” noted Kaptagat MCA Jonathan Ng’etich.
“When you go and look at our pay slip at the end of the day when deductions are made, out of the Ksh205,000, they deduct around Ksh81,000 and then the mortgage issue comes in, I’m left with nothing,” added Moi’s Bridge MCA Patrick Kimeli.
2023 MCAs salary
The MCAs unanimously agreed that they adjourn until when their issues will be addressed.
In 2022, the SRC revised the salary structure of MCAs, reducing their salary from Ksh 365,000 (inclusive of allowances) to Ksh 144,375.
This adjustment affected the car grants, sitting allowances, and mileage allowances for MCAs.
As of 2023, an MCA in Kenya receives a monthly Basic Salary of Ksh 86,625.
The adjournment leaves the county budget-making process in limbo.
It might lead to the grounding of the county operations when the 2022/2023 financial year comes to an end this month.
