By Gerald Mukembu
Meru County Governor Kawira Mwangaza has officially signed the financial budget for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, bringing a three-month deadlock between her administration and the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) to a close.
“This afternoon marks a significant step forward for the growth of Meru County, as I have formally approved the budget for the upcoming financial year,” Governor Mwangaza announced.
The prolonged stalemate had hampered service delivery across the county, leading to delayed salary payments for county staff.
Mwangaza emphasized that while challenges persisted, the county’s welfare needed to move forward.
“We have finally signed this year’s financial budget. Although the process was fraught with difficulties, our priority remains the development of Meru for its residents,” she stated.
Residents have been urged to remain patient for the next two weeks as the budget awaits approval from the Controller of Budget before being sent to the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).
The approved budget totals Ksh 11.8 billion, with Ksh 1.1 billion allocated to the Meru County Assembly and Ksh 1 billion earmarked for settling pending bills.
The primary focus areas for spending include roads, health, land, water, and agriculture, with a breakdown showing that 36% of the budget is dedicated to development and 64%, amounting to Ksh 6 billion, is set for recurrent expenditure.
Monica Kathono, the County Executive Committee Member for Lands, expressed concern that the assembly’s budget cuts could jeopardize vital funding.
“The assembly slashed Ksh 20 million, leaving only Ksh 6 million for the Meru Municipality when it should have received Ksh 8.6 million. Furthermore, Timau’s allocation was reduced from Ksh 6.2 million to just Ksh 2.8 million, which is insufficient to maintain a municipality. We risk losing Ksh 100 million in World Bank grants due to these cuts,” Kathono explained.
County Secretary Dr. Kiambi Atheru acknowledged that while the budget did not align with the initial agreement with the MCAs, the decision was made in the interest of development reaching the grassroots.
Governor Mwangaza stated that the pressure from the MCAs necessitated the signing of the budget.
However, she warned that some initiatives might fail, particularly those concerning casual workers, due to insufficient funding.
“My ability to operate was also hampered when funding for operational mobility was reduced from Ksh 10 million to Ksh 3 million. This will not deter me from serving the people of Meru; I will explore all means necessary, even if it requires using a boda boda,” she affirmed.
She lamented the removal of funds for scholarships and infrastructure improvements at rehabilitation centers, attributing the budgetary challenges to internal conflicts that had stalled county development.
“I signed the budget to address these issues and promote progress,” she added.
Mwangaza also mentioned that the youth would miss out on the free boda boda empowerment initiative due to the recent budget cutbacks.
The budget was supposed to be finalized and signed by June 30, yet disagreements delayed the process.
In addition, Mwangaza noted that the funding for paying the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) contributions for the elderly had been eliminated.
This budget signing comes just days after Senate Speaker Amason Kingi issued a gazette notice confirming the Senate’s decision to impeach Mwangaza on August 20. This was coincidently aligned with a High Court order that suspended the impeachment proceedings, creating a complex scenario of legal direction amid political maneuvering.
To contest her ouster by the Meru County Assembly, Mwangaza, represented by lawyer Eliud Mutuma, approached the court on Wednesday and secured an interim order preventing her removal from office. Mwangaza raised significant legal concerns regarding the impeachment process and the validity of the vote, citing that the impeachment day was not officially gazetted for such proceedings.
