Nairobi — Most councillors of the Bungoma county council skipped reading of the budget as they were on holiday in Uganda.

Only 20 of the 54 councillors attended when the budget was read by the finance and general purpose committee chairman John Weyusia on Thursday. There were allegations that the council paid Sh3 million for the holiday.

At some point, lack of quorum almost scuttled the reading, with those present blaming council chairman Julius Bakassa for the absence of other councillors.

The confusion saw the budget being read at 1pm instead of 9am as planned.

The councillors called on Local Government minister Musalia Mudavadi to nullify the budget as it was brief and sketchy. Mbakalo councillor Bitobo Wanda said set rules and procedures were flouted. But the clerk, Mr Ndurumo wa Gakuo, defended the budget.

The council intends to raise its revenue from Sh190 million last year to Sh235 million this year.

Elsewhere, the Pokot county council will spend Sh81 million to finance various development projects in the next financial year.

The chairman of the finance committee, Mr James Karumet, said they expected to raise Sh71 million. He said they were planning to use legal channels to recover Sh15 million from rent defaulters to finance the Sh10 million deficit.

Malaba town council will use Sh3 million to computerise its trailer park at the Kenya Revenue Authority customs yard in a bid to curb corruption.

Salary arrears

Most local authorities in Nyanza and Western provinces are riddled with debts, with Kisii Municipal Council being the leading culprit. The local authority owes its creditors Sh105 million.

The Nyamira county council owes its employees Sh26, 951,313 in salary arrears, according to council chairman Charles Aumbi.

At Nyamira town council, chairman John Onchiri said the local authority owed its employees Sh23 million in salary arrears.