Nairobi Speaker denies pocketing Sh50m gratuity money
Nairobi Speaker Alex Ole Magelo has denied claims that he transferred sh50 million meant as gratuity for Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) into a private account.
This was after a local daily carried a story that claimed a section of MCAs plan to storm the Speaker`s office to demand for accountability on their gratuity.
Speaking journalists in his office, Mr Magelo dismissed the claims as rumors by MCAs bent to tarnish his name.
“I will not allow rumors and witchhunt to tarnish my integrity which I have built since 1992 as I have a family and businesses to protect,” said Mr Magelo.
He dared the the distraught MCAs to table evidence of the claim in the assembly.
According to the Speaker, the sh50 million for gratuity has been a long running affair after the county’s treasury failed to remit funds.
The gratuity for MCAa is supposed to come from domestic revenue collected by the county.
The Speaker said he had been fighting for the money on behalf of the members, and had suspended deliberation on the budget of the 2016/2017 financial year until all the funds are remitted.
“I have been in a war with the county treasury on behalf of the members just to get the cash flow of Sh 15 million for development and sh50 million for gratuity from the executive,” said Mr Magelo.
The Speaker has also threatened to ban the local daily from reporting on the assembly.
