This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
On July 25, 2019, a standoff over the Kisumu county budget took a dramatic turn as MCAs allied to Speaker Onyango Oloo made their demands clear. The MCAs, who have consistently denied arm-twisting the executive, were seeking Sh1 million each and authorization for payments for works done by them or their proxies.
However, their emissaries returned empty-handed after failing to meet Finance CEC Nerry Achar, who had initially promised them 'something little' for their colleagues. The MCAs were left fuming, with one of them lamenting, 'Since Achar had promised us some money for us to have a change of mind in regard to the budget, he then wants to know from us who we really are as he could not make us wait for him for over six hours for the money at the venue he had proposed only to totally fail to turn up.'
Speaker Oloo has been adamant that it's his way or no budget will be passed. This stance has been met with resistance from Governor Anyang Nyong'o and his allies, who have blocked Oloo's way to parliament on two occasions by denying him Raila Odinga's party nomination certificate. Oloo currently has more MCAs on his side, which has seen him frustrating the executive on several occasions.
