Budget Deadlock Persists Despite Governor Njuki–MCA Talks

The fate of the motion on adoption of the report of the Select Committee on Finance, Budget and Appropriations Bill 2025 remains unclear and will be determined by a vote in the house on Tuesday, after talks between Governor Muthomi Njuki and Tharaka Nithi County MCAs yielded no progress.

Speaking at the Governor’s Office in Kathwana after the meeting, Chairperson of Finance and Budget, Godfrey Murithi Gaturo, said MCAs opposed to the budget had given their proposals and amendments, which had been received and included in the allocations. According to Gaturo, the motion, with the Speaker's consent, will now be tabled in the house awaiting a vote.

“Let us now be given a chance for the budget motion to be presented in the assembly. We have made amendments and we are ready to vote because we have already received proposals from those who were opposing it. We now have a solution,” he said.

Gaturo dismissed proposals by opposing MCAs to have the budget taken back to the public after amendments for public participation exercises, saying the motion was withdrawn to give room for consultations and that it remained the property of the County Assembly.

He further hit out at the MCAs for playing politics and inciting the public to reject the budget.

“I did not withdraw the budget. What I withdrew was the motion, to give room for consultation. The budget is now the property of the County Assembly until it is passed or not. We can’t start the budget-making process again. We want peace and unity. The opposition should refrain from inciting the people. The same MCAs who had announced they would not meet the Governor have today sat down with him,” he said.

However, a section of MCAs opposed to the budget, while speaking to the media after the meeting, said the talks had failed to address issues of equity in the budget, maintaining that the amended version should be taken back to residents for approval.

“We have met with the Governor and made amendments, but we have not achieved full equity. We have made proposals which we are eager to see whether they will be included. The budget should be taken back to the people to rubber stamp since the supreme power belongs to the people. My stand on the budget is still no,” Mitheru Ward MCA Nevert Ntwiga said.

Igambang'ombe Ward MCA Joseph Njeru Ing’ara asked for the scrapping of non-essential projects such as the proposed airstrip and suggested that additional funds be allocated to roads and infrastructure.

“We expect this budget to be taken back to the residents through public participation for approval. If it is brought to the house, I will say no since the residents sent me to say it is not good. I will not be intimidated or coerced to vote in favor of the budget,” he said.