Kiambu governor Kimani Wamatangi is walking a tightrope with members of the County Assembly after they walked out of the chambers to frustrate debate on his 2023/2024 Finance Bill, which he had tabled for approval.

The move is likely to tax collection in the county even as Wamatangi gets politically isolated by MCAs and Members of Parliament from the area.

While declining to debate the Bill that would allow the county government to levy taxes, the MCAs cited lack of accountability and clarity on the use of billions of shillings during the 2022/23 financial year.

The ward reps have consequently told Kiambu residents not to pay for any license fees or levies to the county government owing to the fact that there is no Finance Act in place to legitimise the process. However, they are yet to vote on the Bill.

Addressing the media at the Assembly grounds, Kahawa Sukari MCA Kenney Odhiambo accused Wamatangi of interfering with the affairs of the Assembly and hindering the smooth running of its mandate of oversight the Executive.

“The governor should tell Kiambu people what he has done with the money collected in the last one year. He has set us up against our supporters and residents in our wards who are now describing us as non-performers,” he said.

Kijabe ward MCA Stephen Nyutu said that as members of the assembly they have unanimously agreed that they will not allow the executive to table the finance bill for the reasons that the previous bill has not been effectively acted upon. “

The county executive has been collecting money from Kiambu county residents but unfortunately it has been one year and there is no development to show on the ground,” Nyutu said.

Kiambu residents

He said that the executive should first tell Kiambu residents what he has done with the Sh3.6 billion collected in own-source revenue from the previous finance Act.

“Right now every coin that is being collected by the Kiambu county government is illegal since there is no law in place passed by the assembly to collect the monies. We are telling our people that the finance bill that is supposed to give directions on how to collect parking fees, business permits and other licenses does not have any legitimacy and we are urging the public not to pay,” he said.

Majority leader Macharia Wambui (Limuru East) said that they have agreed not to pass the Finance Bill as there are no tangible services being offered to the people.

“The people who elected us are the same ones who are complaining to us the MCAs that nothing is happening in terms of development and offering of services,” Macharia said, adding that their role of overseeing the county government is paramount as Kiambu people are not receiving value for their money.

“As MCAs we cannot apprise a budget of Sh 21 billion whereas our people are not receiving services as there’s nothing to show on the ground,” he said.

Wamatangi has been under fire for the last one week after MCAs and MPs from the county accused him of high-handedness, incompetence, failed leadership, abuse of office, misappropriation of funds and unilaterally running the county affairs.

But Wamatangi has stuck to his guns saying he will not heed or yield to the demands of his opponents no matter how far they escalate the fight against his leadership style.

He claims that his political adversaries are after vast and prime land parcels in various parts of the county and which they want converted from the public for their personal use.

The county chief alleges his challengers want him to engage in corrupt dealings that might see the county coffers siphoned, leaving nothing substantial for development.

– Reporting by Clement Kamau, Mathew Ndung’u and Oliver Musembi