Via NMG
The budget standoff in Kitui County took has taken a new twist after Governor Charity Ngilu moved to court seeking orders to compel County Assembly Speaker George Ndotto to release a statutory letter that will allow the executive to access devolved funds.
The executive, in a suit filed at the Kitui Law Courts, claims that the Speaker’s failure to communicate to the assembly the decision regarding the 2019-2020 approved budget has made it difficult to access funds from the National Treasury to pay staff salaries for the month of June.
Mrs Ngilu resorted to court action after the Controller of Budget wrote to the Kitui Finance executive advising that her office can only authorise the release of funds after it is furnished with the letter from County Assembly Speaker as required by the law.
SEVEN DAYS NOTICE
The assembly passed the county budget on June 28 and the Speaker was supposed to communicate in writing on or before July 5, which is within the seven days window provided in law.
The executive argues that the Speaker has no latitude in law to delay the communication of the assembly’s decision beyond the seven days stipulated under Section 134 (3) of the Public Finance Management Act.
