Garissa’s 49 Members of County Assembly (MCAs) are once again on the focus for allegedly drawing more allowances into their pockets contrary to the provisions by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
It is reported that each of the Garissa MCAs pocketed an average of Sh129,202 a month on allowances alone.
The office of the State Controller of Budget, in its latest report on county governments’ budgetary implementation report pointed an accusing finger at the Ward Reps for spending in excess of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission's ceiling of Sh124,800 by big margins.
According to the spending report, all the 47 counties spent at least Sh2.82 billion only on MCAs' sitting allowance in the 2015/16 financial year.
The sitting allowances are paid to the ward reps for attending plenary sessions and other committee meetings, and besides sitting allowances, the MCAs earn also earn big on monthly allowance and also on mileage allowance.
Other county assemblies that were adversely mentioned as over-spenders are Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, and Homa Bay counties, who reportedly used in excess of the SRC ceiling by huge margins.