The Kitui County Assembly on Wednesday passed a major law paving way for the county executive to spend funds in a bid to address the residents' emergency needs.
The MCAs approved the much awaited Kitui County Emergency Fund Bill, 2018 into law.
The move comes as a major reprieve to the locals in the wake of recent heavy rains that have caused havoc due to flash floods which led to massive destruction of property and rendered tens of citizens in the vast county lifeless.
According to a report tabled on the floor of the Assembly by the Committee on Budget and Appropriations, the bill seeks to allow the government incur expenditure to alleviate damage, loss, hardship or suffering of Kitui County residents caused by unforeseen events such as drought, floods, fire and disease outbreaks among others.
The committee through one of its members, Nicholas Mwalali, urged the house to back the bill with amendments adding that this would help the county executive to be held accountable and equally prevent embezzlement of public funds.
“The citizens were concerned during the public participation that if the Bill was going to be passed the way it is, it could be used as a blank cheque,” noted Mwalali who is also the Mbitini ward MCA.
On his part, while seconding the amendment of some clauses of the bill, Kyangwithya East MCA Alexander Mbili lauded the bill which he argued had come at the opportune time when the county was facing disasters caused by raging floods which spark not only Kitui region but the entire nation.
Other MCAs who spoke in support of the bill asked the county executive to move with speed and identify areas which were hard hit by floods in a bid to help the locals.
The assembly will forward a draft of the Act to Governor Charity Ngilu for assent into an Act of the Kitui County Assembly, after which the legislation will start to operationalize.