Proceedings Halted After Chaos Erupt in Wajir County Assembly Over Proposed Budget

Wajir MCAs fight for the mace inside the County Assembly on July 30, 2024
Wajir MCAs fight for the mace inside the County Assembly on July 30, 2024
Kenyans.co.ke

On Tuesday, July 30, Members of the Wajir County Assembly disrupted the proceedings rejecting the proposed budget for the 2024/25 financial year.

In videos seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the situation began after the mace was brought into the House to begin the proceedings. Two male MCAs were seen jumping off tables and attacking the orderlies to grab the mace.

This resulted in a commotion and a struggle between the MCAs and the orderlies. Some of the MCAs were fighting each other as the mace was taken outside the assembly.

As the MCAs continued to run outside with the mace, those in favour of the budget were left arguing and engaging the rest in a screaming match.

Additionally, another group of MCAs inside the assembly was depicted flipping tables, throwing documents in the air and chanting in their native language.

Wajir MCAs fight for the mace inside the County Assembly on July 30, 2024
Wajir MCAs fight for the mace inside the County Assembly on July 30, 2024
Kenyans.co.ke

According to some of the MCAs, the budget should reflect the needs of the people of Wajir. The politicians argued that there were a lot of misplaced priorities.

In the official statement from the MCAs, the County Government had failed to decentralise some of the key services that affect a majority of residents.

Furthermore, the politicians accused the government of failing to serve all the citizens as promised during the campaign period.

"The 2010 Constitution is clear that the sovereign power belongs to the people, since being elected in 2022 the county assembly approved close to Ksh24 billion budget for two financial years," read the statement in parts.

"Not more than Ksh600 million went to the grassroots, Ksh23.4 billion was misappropriated within Wajir Town."

The MCAs also detailed why they rejected the budget including that there was no proper public participation and the public views were not incorporated.

Additionally, this group of MCAs argued that in some areas, the officials conducting the public participation were chased away. This, they argued breeded inequality.

They further argued that the budget was illegal since the fiscal strategy paper was never committed to the sectoral committees as required by the standing orders.

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