The Speaker to the County Assembly of Bungoma Hon. Emmanuel Situma has issued a press statement in response to utterances made by Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati while appearing on Sulwe fm morning show titled “Endekhelo”
It reads;
MISLEADING UTTERANCES BY H.E THE GOVERNOR FOR BUNGOMA COUNTY
The attention of the County Assembly of Bungoma is drawn to misleading and inciting remarks made by H.E Governor Wycliffe Wafula Wangamati while appearing on a morning talk show on one of the local FM stations.
The Governor in an unfortunate move made utterances that are divisive, misleading and inciting on a range of issues.
On the car grants for MCAs;
The Governor alleges that there was no budget for car grants for MCAS after the President pronounced himself and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and Controller of Budget moved to effect the same. This is not true.
For Clarity, the MCAs received their car grants from an existing revolving fund that had an existing allocation. MCAs had been receiving car loans from the revolving fund which was budgeted for in the FY 2013/2014. There was no new allocation to the fund. The case is not exceptional for Bungoma County Assembly.
The County Assembly Car Loan and Mortgage is managed by an independent committee. The fund is subject to Audit by the Auditor General.
On the issue of employment of Village Administrators;
The Governor says Village Administrators will be employed from sons and daughters of peasants and bodaboda operators. These points to a scheme that there is an already existing group of persons that have been handpicked for the jobs. How does the Governor know the persons that will be picked for employment from a pool of thousands of applicants? Why is he is segregating residents and profiling them along social classes e.g the children of the poor? This is divisive and inciting.
All employments in the County Executive are to be undertaken by the County Public Service Board. The Governor needs to stop interfering with the operations of independent bodies.
On the budget for recruitment of Village Administrators;
The Governor as the Head of the County Government knows very well that recruitment can only be undertaken when there is a budgetary allocation. You cannot recruit people in anticipation for a budget in the coming financial year. This is against the law.
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He admits that there is no budget for the recruitment of Village Administrators but goes ahead to say the process will continue awaiting an allocation so that those successful will be in office by 1st of July 2021 once a new budget has been approved. This is flip-flopping.
It is important to point out that the controller of Budget has already raised the red flag over the personnel budget for Bungoma County. The County has already surpassed the allowed 35 percent wage bill as a fraction of the total county budget. The current wage bill stands at 48 percent. We need to free money for development by working on cutting down on the wage bill.
H.E the Governor is reminded of the provisions of the section 149 of the Public Finance Management Act which demands that Public funds must always be expended in a lawful and authorized way.
As a County Assembly, we shall remain steadfast in Oversighting the Executive to ensure such excesses as those being exhibited are not abated. We shall strive to play our roles in a Just and fair manner for the well-being of the residents of Bungoma.
The County Assembly will not hesitate to take further measures against those contravening the law. All leaders are reminded to operate within the framework of the law.
Please note:
The County Assembly is an Independent Arm of the County Government which is given priority in the Constitution of Kenya 2010; the Governor or Executive by extension have no role in oversighting its operations.
The County Assembly is assigned an Oversight function by the Constitution. It will continue to exercise these powers and mandate without fear or favour.
The County Assembly budget is mainly recurrent with a very minimal budget for development.
The Governor cannot contradict the President on the issue of the Car Loan for Hon. Members. It was implemented across the country and not only in Bungoma and we did not seek any money from the Executive Budget for the Car Grant.
The reports on delineation of village units, and the task force report on the same have never been tabled, debated or approved by the House as alleged by H. E. the Governor. This is a primary document that creates villages, and paves way for subsequent recruitment.
~ Hon. Emmanuel Situma – Speaker, County assembly of Bungoma ~
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