Wards in Meru County to get Sh20m development fund

The Meru County Assembly has passed a bill that will see each ward get Sh20 million for development.

The passing of the Appropriation Bill 2015 ends a two-week standoff between the Members of County Assembly and the executive over the county’s budget.

During a special sitting attended by 16 of the 69 members, the MCAs approved a memorandum by Governor Peter Munya on the Sh7.6 billion budget.

The MCAs had earlier allocated Sh1.5 billion to the Ward Development Fund by scrapping various allocations to the executive. Each of the 45 wards was to get Sh35 million for development.

Abothuguchi Central Ward Representative Ayub Bundi, however, introduced an amendment that saw the Ward Development Fund slashed to Sh900 million translating to Sh20 million per ward.

Munya had declined to assent to the Appropriation Bill citing the high amount allocated for development in the wards.

Meru County Speaker Joseph Kaberia said the assembly had to hold a special sitting before going on recess to meet the timeline set for passing the budget.

He said the governor had only 14 days to sign the Appropriation Bill passed on July 22 and wrote a letter indicating several amendments on Thursday.

Alpha Kaumbuthu MCA Igoji West and Samson Thuranira MCA Ntima West said they were happy with the passing of the bill and they vowed to work with the governor to improve the lives of the people of Meru.