Economy

City Hall allocates millions to buy iPads for 127 MCAs

TAB

Each of the tablets costs about Sh60,000, meaning that the assembly will spend nearly Sh8 million. PHOTO | FILE

Nairobi’s 127 county assembly members (MCAs) are set to receive free iPads after funds for their purchase were included in a budget to be presented on Tuesday.
Each of the tablets costs about Sh60,000, meaning that the assembly will spend nearly Sh8 million.

Budget and Appropriations Committee chairman Michael Ogada last week told the assembly that the iPads would eventually save the county money in printing costs.

“The use of papers in the official county assembly business should be a thing of the past, not only because they are environmentally unfriendly but also because they are more expensive in the long run.”

The county had budgeted for the devices in the current fiscal year but they were not bought due to lack of funds.

Mr Ogada said the clerk should make the iPads a priority project in the financial year starting Wednesday.

Parliament is looking to buy similar tablets for the 545 legislators and has started looking for firms to supply them. The devices will cost taxpayers at least Sh32.7 million.

But the total bill for the tablets is likely to be much higher, especially after monthly costs of downloading data are included.