MCAs probe Sh2b payment to law firms
By Alvin.Mwangi, June 30, 2023Nairobi County Assembly is set to commence investigations into the planned payment of Sh2 billion to fifteen legal firms by the county government.
The probe comes after Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai (pictured) demanded to know the terms of reference of a legal pending bills taskforce put in place by Governor Johnson Sakaja and the criteria used to identify the law firms and the amount to be paid.
“I wish to request from the Chairperson Justice and legal affairs regarding taskforce formed by the county executive to enquire into the issue of pending bills under the legal department including the criteria used to establish genuine beneficiaries for payment of legal bills,” reads the request by Alai.
The inquiry by Alai comes just a few days after a suit was also filed at the High Court against payment of Sh2 billion to fifteen firms.
The task force was required to probe the pending legal fees of Sh21 billion that was owed to 300 laws that provided legal services to the county.
Although the committee was to complete its work in April, Sakaja extended recently its term until August.
Payment of legal firms has also always attracted controversy in Nairobi with leaders fighting over which firm should be paid and which one should not.
According to the Auditor General Nairobi County has the biggest share of the total pending bills across the 47 counties with Sh100 billion pending bills.