Nyamira deputy Speaker Andrew Magangi has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Nation Media Group to apologise over a publication linking the assembly to the Sh63 million tea.
Magangi said the local daily risks legal action if it does not apologise within the stipulated period.
In the same breath, the NMG journalist who wrote the story has been barred from covering House proceedings until the matter is rested.
Bosamaro MCA Boniface Ombori demanded that the reporter should be removed from the assembly with immediate effect over what he termed 'unprofessional and primitive reporting.'
"Mr Speaker, let the reporter get out of this House immediately. This is not the first time we have been subjected to ridicule and disrespect by the said media company," said Ombori.
Nominated MCA Zipporah Osoro, on her part, demanded an apology and compensation from NMG, accusing it of defaming the members.
"We cannot stand at any public gatherings because of these reports the company has been publishing against us. We are being ridiculed and nicknamed 'tea' every time we stand to address the public," noted Osoro.
However, the Contorller of Budget has clarified that the Sh63 million was an accumulative amount for both the assembly and the executive.
County Budget Coordinator George Kirimi said the media had misreported on the exact amount spent by the county assembly, adding that only Sh14.04 million was used.
“In one of the local papers, there was misreporting on the amount of money used by the County assembly of Nyamira. The reporter seems not to have understood the report well,” said Kirimi in official CoB website.
“The figure Sh63.23 million is a consolidated figure for both the county executive and the assembly as per the annual reports submitted for 2015/16 financial year. The figure for county assembly alone is Sh14.04 million while the executive spent Sh49.19 million,” added Kirimi.