Kirinyaga MCAs finally reach agreement with Governor Waiguru

Kirinyaga Members of County Assembly (MCAs) have agreed to work with Governor Anne Waiguru after reaching a consensus on the 2020/2021 County Budget.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Governor Waiguru hailed the Mt. Kenya Foundation leaders led by Peter Munga for steering the mediation talks with the MCAs.

“I am happy about the outcome of the negotiations that have been going on between the County Government Executive and the County Assembly to build consensus on 2020/2021 Budget. I would like to thank the Mt. Kenya Foundation chaired by Dr. Peter Munga for steering the mediation talks and their dedication and commitment in seeing that the matter was settled,” said Waiguru.

Speaking earlier on Thursday, Majority Leader James Kamau Murango, who is also the Kerugoya Ward MCA, said the reconciliation talks held privately in Nairobi only focused on the Ksh.5.6 billion 2020-2021 budget.

“We agreed Waiguru will also withdraw the budget court case where we were represented by our lawyer Ndegwa Njiru,” Murango said.

Governor Waiguru had been accusing the county assembly of arm twisting the Executive while trying to settle political scores after the defiant 25 out of 35 MCAs voted to reject her memorandum on the budget.

“It is Mt. Kenya Foundation leaders who approached the Assembly,” Wamumu Ward MCA John Bapstita Kanga said.

The agreement will also see the County Government pay 72 health workers who were reinstated after they had been sent home for engaging in a strike.

Last week, the MCAs had issued a 7-day ultimatum to Governor Waiguru to pay county government employees, failure to which they would table another motion to impeach her.

In June, Waiguru survived an impeachment after the Senate dismissed the abuse of office and gross misconduct charges against her.

Meanwhile, the Governor says the agreement will now pave the way for service delivery in the county.

“We now dedicate our efforts to delivering our mandate to the people of Kirinyaga by ensuring that the development agenda is achieved,” she said.