MCAs Have Failed says Report County assemblies are performing below par and are undermining their oversight function, Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo has said. In the latest report on implementation of county budgets, Mrs Odhiambo says that while the assemblies have the power to make laws for counties in the same way the National Assembly does for the country, they have failed miserably. “In the nine-month period, the capacity of County Assemblies to perform the legislative function has been inadequate as observed in most counties,” says the report that was tabled in the National Assembly. “For instance, crucial Bills such as the Finance Bills, which are key in the implementation of the Budget, have not been enacted. “Similarly, the oversight role has not been effectively performed as evidenced by the inadequate reporting and subsequent scrutiny of reports by the County Assembly.” The Budget boss is also critical of the devolved units’ spending on Members of County Assemblies (MCAs). The ward representatives spent Sh1.8 billion on sitting allowances and Sh4.9 billion on foreign and domestic travel in the first nine months of counties’ existence. County assembly departmental committees are expected to scrutinise Controller of Budget and Auditor-General reports on spending. While doing that, they should meet the respective county executive committee members and later table reports for debate and possible adoption in the larger assembly. That is what happens in the National Assembly and the Senate. When Senate’s committees on finance and devolved governments first sought to interrogate governors on the Auditor-General’s reports, the county bosses raised a storm on the basis that they ought to report to the county assemblies as the first port of call on county issues. The governors later requested the courts to define the relationship between them and the Senate and whether they could be summoned to answer questions arising from the audit reports. Although Mrs Odhiambo does not suggest a solution to the MCAs’ underperformance, the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has initiated the process of changing the Elections Act to raise the academic qualification required for members of the National and County Assemblies. The committee intends to complete the amendments before the end of the year, long- before the next General Election.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 07:49:01 +0000
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