Deputy President William Ruto has announced that MCAs will get Sh11 billion grant to buy top-of-the-range vehicles.
Speaking on Tuesday, Ruto said that the government would support a proposal by MCAs to have car grants, just like MPs, if it is approved by Parliament.
There are 2,224 MCAs in Kenya (1,450 elected and 774 nominated) and if the ward reps have their way on the Sh5 million perks, their car grant will cumulatively cost the taxpayer Sh11.12 billion.
“There must be fairness and equity in our legislative arms of Government. I'm asking the National Assembly and Senate to formulate mechanisms where legislators based at national and county levels are treated equally,” said Ruto.
“When there is finally an agreement in the Senate on the matter, and it is passed in the floor of the House, we will do our part,” added the DP.
This was in response to demands by MCAs at the session, who insisted that they should be entitled to the same benefits their counterparts based in Nairobi had, since they do a similar job.
“MCAs play a critial role at the grassroots, but our problem is that we have been abandoned. As people who are on the ground, we need to be given cars and a development kitty in our wards,” she said.