Meru County Assembly has kicked off its exercise to ensure clearance of all pending bills. The bills are reportedly standing at Sh723.5 million, which saw the county equitable share by the National Treasury withheld.
In order to realize money to settle the debts, the house resolved to induce cuts to several areas like Ward projects' share which was reduced by Sh276.6 million, Community water projects reduction by Sh247 million and also Sh50 million initially budgeted for the home of the speaker, offices of the county and a restaurant too.
County boss and his deputy house construction also lost up-to Sh10 million, Sh19 million drawn from spatial planning and another Sh15 million which was meant for rehabilitating lake Nkunga.
According to Budget and Appropriation Committee chair Julius Mbijiwe, another Sh419.6 million bills considered ineligible was also under probe.
"We haven't received any cash from December, and with the unresolved pending bills, government may risk closure. Hence, we have to stop first the issue of financing the community projects and clear the debt," said Mbijiwe.
The assembly pledged not to tackle the next fiscal year budget until a better way of debt management was put in place.
"Unless we got a better way on how to handle payments for any pending bills, we as a house will never discuss any other fiscal year budget from now henceforth," added Mbijiwe.
The move arose outcries among a section of MCAs who felt that the Supplementary budget ate into other allocations, while other MCAs urged their colleagues to put up with the debt settlement pressure as it meant good for the County according to Kangeno MCA Romano Mwito.
According to the sources, already debt of Sh1.12 billion has been paid off, hence the remainder out of Sh1.84 billion which was considered an eligible and payable debt.