Sh12bn to buy MCA backing of key vote
Ward representatives are set to reap big from referendum campaigns as Government lays out the goodies to counter what’s on offer from Council of Governors and the opposition Cord alliance
CAMPAIGN | Deal for office and car gift for county ward leader set to be sealed today
Kenyans may be forced to pay as much as Sh12 billion to meet the cost of offices and vehicles for thousands of ward representatives in a deal by the government aimed at scuttling the referendum campaign. Under the deal, which was to be sealed at a meeting between President Kenyatta and the County Assembly Forum (CAF) in Kwale today, the government will fund the construction of offices for all the 2,100 ward representatives.
At a projected cost of Sh3 million per unit, the government will require Sh6.3 billion to build offices for all the Members of County Assembly (MCAs).
The government will also pay the salaries of their staff, and extend car grants of up to Sh2 million to each of the ward representatives. This will set the taxpayer back by Sh4.2 billion. The cost of fuelling and maintaining the vehicles will also be met by the taxpayer.
In turn, the government expects the MCAs to reject the draft Bills set to be tabled in the county assemblies by both Cord and the Council of Governors, effectively scuttling the separate referendum campaigns. The government deal mirrors the sweeteners offered to the MCAs by the Council of Governors to secure support for the referendum campaign. MCAs who spoke to the Nation on phone confirmed that they were in talks with the Executive on the car grants and offices, and that a deal was in the offing. “MCAs have been agitating for car grants of up to Sh2.5 million, half of what MPs get because of the poor road network in most of our wards. We have also been agitating for ward offices.
Will MCA'S be the end of devolution?
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Kenyans may be forced to pay as much as Sh12 billion to meet the cost of offices and vehicles for thousands of ward representatives in a deal by the government aimed at scuttling the referendum campaign. Under the deal, which was to be sealed at a meeting between President Kenyatta and the County Assembly Forum (CAF) in Kwale today, the government will fund the construction of offices for all the 2,100 ward representatives.
The government will also pay the salaries of their staff, and extend car grants of up to Sh2 million to each of the ward representatives. This will set the taxpayer back by Sh4.2 billion. The cost of fuelling and maintaining the vehicles will also be met by the taxpayer.
In turn, the government expects the MCAs to reject the draft Bills set to be tabled in the county assemblies by both Cord and the Council of Governors, effectively scuttling the separate referendum campaigns. The government deal mirrors the sweeteners offered to the MCAs by the Council of Governors to secure support for the referendum campaign. MCAs who spoke to the Nation on phone confirmed that they were in talks with the Executive on the car grants and offices, and that a deal was in the offing. “MCAs have been agitating for car grants of up to Sh2.5 million, half of what MPs get because of the poor road network in most of our wards. We have also been agitating for ward offices.
Will MCA'S be the end of devolution?
22:43 - By Kenya Newspapers
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