This archive report was first published on 15 November 2019.
Published on November 15, 2019, Kisumu MCAs have questioned a Sh396 million allocation in the 2019-20 budget made to pay the taxman and a health insurance provider.
The Budget and Appropriation Committee, led by chairman Linus Asiba, expressed concerns that the Finance and Public Service Management departments had failed to provide documents explaining the allocation.
According to Asiba, Finance Executive Phaustine Barasa had requested Sh115 million to settle Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) dues, while Public Service Management (PSM) department headed by Janet Manyasi had requested Sh281 million to pay a health insurer.
The committee recommended reducing the Finance department's request to Sh29 million and the PSM request to Sh115 million.
However, Governor Sospeter Ojaamong wrote a memorandum to Speaker Bernard Wamalwa, seeking reinstatement of the slashed amounts, threatening not to assent to the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2019 if his demands were not met.
On Wednesday, MCAs debated the governor's memorandum and eventually caved in to his demands, allowing the allocations to pass.
However, MPs are still questioning how the departments came to demand such huge amounts, with one MCA, Azida Ali, wondering how an insurer could demand such an amount to cover the county's small workforce.
