CRA seeks to tame MCAs appetite for allowances

MCAs could soon face a major blow in their earnings of lucrative allowances following a proposal to cap the number of committees in county assemblies at 18.

The move by the Commission on Revenue Allocation is part of broader efforts to rein in rising administrative costs at the county level, particularly spending linked to committee sittings.

Sitting allowances have become a key source income for ward representatives.

Currently, some county assemblies operate as many as 27 committees, allowing MCAs to sit on multiple panels and earn sitting allowances, sometimes for committees that perform overlapping or similar functions.

In a report submitted to the Senate, CRA revealed wide disparities in the number and structure of committees across the 47 county assemblies, with figures ranging from as low as nine to as high as 27.

“CRA’s analysis showed wide variations in the number of committees, ranging from nine to 27, with no standardised structure across counties,” the commission said.

According to the report, some assemblies have established internal or overlapping committees—such as catering, welfare or loan committees—that either duplicate existing roles or significantly inflate administrative costs without adding commensurate value.

The commission also flagged inconsistencies in committee naming and a lack of alignment with county executive departments, a situation it says weakens oversight and accountability.

To address these gaps, CRA has proposed a maximum of 18 committees per county assembly, noting that assemblies may operate fewer committees depending on their size and functional needs.

“In addition, committees should be aligned to the county executive departments they oversee to strengthen accountability and reduce duplication,” the commission said.

The proposed cap is likely to significantly affect MCAs earnings.

Currently, an ordinary MCA earns Sh3,000 per sitting for every committee meeting attended, making committee assignments a key avenue for supplementing their income.

However, the County Assemblies Forum (CAF) says the proposal requires broader stakeholder engagement to avoid operational challenges.

CAF secretary general Mwaura Chege said county assemblies are open to realigning committee structures but cautioned that the unique circumstances of each county must be considered.

He identified two main factors that influence the number of committees in a county assembly: the size of the assembly in terms of the number of MCAs, and the number of departments within the county executive.

“The confusion needs to be sorted out by the executives. Assemblies form committees based on the number of departments they are supposed to oversee,” Mwaura said.

He said some assemblies are large, with more than 100 MCAs, necessitating more committees to ensure members are meaningfully engaged.

“For instance, CRA should tell us what happens if a small assembly like Isiolo has 30 departments. What should they do? And what about Nairobi, which has 123 members?” he posed.

Mwaura also pointed out that existing laws already limit MCAs to a maximum of 16 sittings per week, regardless of how many committees they belong to.

“On the part of MCAs, I think that is taken care of. But when it comes to the assembly secretariat, it depends on the size of the assembly and the number of departments in the executive,” he said.

According to the County Governments’ Budget Implementation Review Report for the first quarter of the 2025–26 financial year, county assemblies spent Sh289.6 million on MCAs’ sitting allowances against an approved budget of Sh2 billion.

“This reflects a low absorption rate of 14 per cent, signalling weak execution of the approved spending plans,” Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o said in the report.

Expenditure performance on MCAs’ sitting allowances varied significantly across counties, with West Pokot, Taita Taveta, and Nandi registering high utilisation levels.

Laikipia, Kirinyaga and Nyandarua recorded minimal absorption, and seven counties reported no expenditure despite budget provisions.