Why Motion to Adopt Budget Report was Withdrawn

On Tuesday, 24th June, 2025, Godfrey Murithi Gaturo, the Chairperson Finance and Budget in the County Assembly of Tharaka Nithi withdrew the motion on adoption of the report of the select committee on Finance, Budget and Appropriations Bill 2025, guided by the standing orders 71 and 78 of the county assembly, which stipulate that a notice of motion may be withdrawn by a member who gave the notice of motion.

According to Gaturo, the decision was reached following efforts by a section of MCAs to reject the proposed budget allocations, noting that politics were at play to ensure it was sabotaged.

While addressing a press briefing at Kathwana after the withdrawal, Gaturo warned of the repercussions if the motion was to be dropped entirely through a vote, saying it would take at least six months to bring it back to the house.

"If rejected, we will have to wait for six months to bring back the motion to the assembly. Those are six months of no development in the county. I withdrew it as the motion's mover to allow us to agree in one voice. Those rejecting it should tell us what exactly they are against", he said.

Mariani Ward MCA Anita Karimi Mbae criticised politicians for interfering with the budget-making process due to their 2027 general election ambitions, hitting out at Majority Leader Luke Marengo Nyaga and Deputy Speaker Leonard Gitonga Kithuka for siding with the faction opposed to the budget.

"The Majority Leader is the leader of government business in the House. He tabled the motion and approved it to be forwarded to the budget committee. Most of the MCAs rejecting it are clueless. Some people fear they won't be re-elected unless they fight the Governor", she remarked.

According to her, Tharaka Constituency has the highest allocations in the Kshs 6.7 billion budget, yet has the most MCAs rejecting it.

The pro-government MCAs argued that itemisation and coding of projects, as proposed, had been done, as well as the inclusion of recommendations from committees. According to them, public participation exercises across the county were interfered with by the rest of the MCAs, whom they accused of being sponsored to reject the budget.

"They left on Sunday and came back this morning. They should tell us who funded their stay at Isiolo, why they were there and what they were discussing", Purity Wanja, Nominated MCA said.

On the flipside, MCAs opposed to the budget accused the others of receiving up to Kshs 5 million each to support the motion on adoption of the budget estimates, adding that some of the members were under threat and intimidation.

Mitheru Ward MCA Nevert Ntwiga found fault with MCA Gaturo for not informing the rest of the committee members of the decision to withdraw the motion, saying the move came as a result of failure to mobilize enough MCAs to vote in favor of the budget.

"Let the budget include priorities raised by residents. There is no show for previous budgetary allocations in the county. The Governor should not operate the county like personal business. Those who elected us are bigger than him. He has misappropriated and misused funds", Igambang'ombe MCA Joseph Njeru Ing’ara remarked.

Mugwe Ward MCA Jacob Ndeke Kiriko said the budget had failed to achieve equality and equity, adding that they will ensure residents got the best of the budget and remaining financial years.

Majority Leader Luke Marengo Nyaga proposed that a new team be selected to deal with the budget, approve and present it to the assembly.