Section of Isiolo MCAs dismisses fraud claims in 2025/26 budget approval

A section of Isiolo MCAs has dismissed allegations that the county’s 2025/26 budget was passed fraudulently, insisting the process adhered to all legal and procedural requirements.

Speaking on Wednesday during a press conference in Nairobi, the legislators, led by Speaker Abdullahi Banticha and Deputy Speaker David Lemantile, warned that the claims were politically instigated and meant to derail development and destabilise governance in Isiolo.

The MCAs accused unnamed individuals of spreading misinformation aimed at inciting unrest and obstructing service delivery.

“I want to urge the people of Isiolo not to be misused. There is nothing as important as peace,” Lemantile said.

His comments follow rising tensions in the county, including a recent failed attempt to impeach Governor Abdi Guyo, which has contributed to political instability in the region.

“We don’t have any other county to run to. We will remain Isiolo people. Let everyone do their work. If something is not right, there is a legal channel to address it,” he added.

Lemantile maintained that the Isiolo County Assembly received the 2025/26 Appropriation Bill in accordance with Section 222(1) of the Standing Orders, and that the House approved the bill after a comprehensive review of its impact on development, employment, investment and economic growth.

“The Isiolo County Executive is within the law to proceed with the implementation of the approved Appropriation Act, 2025, as gazetted,” he said.

Budget Committee Vice Chairperson Rehema Abdikadir echoed the deputy speaker’s remarks, dismissing the fraud claims as unfounded and intended to generate unnecessary tension.

“I want to assure the people of Isiolo that the 2025/26 budget passed through the proper legal processes. All steps were followed. Nothing was skipped. Everything was done by the law,” Rehema said.

She further urged residents not to fall for propaganda being pushed by individuals keen on paralysing county functions.

“As the vice chair, I can confirm that we followed all due process. The executive submitted the estimates on time, and we went through the entire process diligently. The county must function and continue delivering to the people,” she said.

MCA Francinco Letimalo, who also defended the Assembly’s position, confirmed that the budget was approved by nine of the 18 MCAs, well above the required legal quorum of six.

“Those saying this budget wasn’t passed are not being truthful. We had a quorum. While some were caught in political wrangles, we did our job,” Letimalo said.

He emphasised that both the Budget Committee sessions and the subsequent plenary deliberations were lawfully constituted.

“The process was fair, legal, and procedurally sound. We had the chairman, the vice chairperson, and the necessary quorum in place,” he added.

The MCAs also refuted reports suggesting a scheme to remove County Assembly Clerk Salad Guracha.

“There is currently no resolution to remove Mr. Salad. Anyone purporting to have initiated such a process is acting contrary to the law,” Lemantile said.