29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
If you listen to the language that is employed in this new Bill, it tells you that there is a step forward in terms of ensuring that the powers of the Assembly to appropriate will be returned to the House. That because it is the County Assembly just like the National Assembly appropriates money for the National Government, it will be the responsibility of the Assembly itself to appropriate those monies from the County Treasury or the County Revenue Fund into the County Assembly Fund. This is big progress in my view. If you look at 109(e), it designates the ...
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
“Any unutilized balances in the County Assembly fund shall not lapse at the end of the financial year, but shall be retained for the purposes for which it was established.”
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
So, if they had been set aside for the construction of County Assembly Chambers or improvement of any works around the County Assembly, they cannot be swept back. Under Clause109 The Fund shall be used-
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
(a) To defray the administrative expenses of the County Assembly; The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
Which is something that the Senate Majority Leader has spoken about while moving the Bill.
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
(b) For the acquisition and proper maintenance of buildings, grounds and other assets of the County Assembly. This is a step in the right direction to enable the Assembly itself to determine its priorities in terms of construction and the welfare of its Members. Under Clause 109(c), there is another reiteration. It reiterates what I have read to you before. It states that-
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
“All receipts, savings and accruals to and the balance of the County Assembly Fund at the end of each financial year shall be retained in the County Assembly Fund and applied in accordance with the Constitution and this Act.”
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
I think that this is something that we should all support. I have seen in Clause109(e) that-
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
“The County Treasury shall, at the beginning of every month, and in may event not later than the fifteenth day from the announcement of the month, disburse monies to the County Assembly Fund for the expenditure of the following month.”
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29 Oct 2024 in Senate:
There will now be an Authority to Incur Expense (AIE) holder at the county assemblies to incur expenditure for the efficient management of the county assembly. This is something that is to be supported. There are also provisions for guidelines on how that authority to incur expenditure shall be executed and, therefore, it is not a blank cheque to anyone. This is a very vital proposal and I hope members of this House will take note of this proposal. 109(e) sets timelines for which the County Treasury must release money to the County Assembly Fund; not of the current but ...
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