A trip to Israel by Vihiga County Assembly members has raised queries among area residents.
The county assembly team left the country on Wednesday on what they said was a learning trip.
Two months ago, the MCAs made similar trips to Singapore and Uganda at a cost of Sh15 million.
Residents are now accusing the assembly of wasting funds on foreign trips and challenged the county government to publicly declare the cost of the trip.
A resident, Mr Kenneth Sakwa, said the ward representatives can learn about farming in Israel from the Internet or through the embassy in Kenya.
They could also invite embassy officials to the county for a public lecture on various issues, he added.
“Yes we need to learn but must we go to a particular country to learn yet we have embassies and high commissions through which we can exchange knowledge and expertise?” posed Mr Sakwa.
Another resident, Mr Patrick Amwoka challenged the assembly to make public all intended trips and costs including the benefits the county had received from similar engagements by the assembly.
The assembly’s majority leader Mr Abdalla Chogo said the committee was invited to Israel on a learning tour that aimed at helping the county learn advanced agricultural practices from the desert country.
“The trip is purely on agriculture. The committee was invited to visit the country and learn how the country has advanced its agricultural activities despite harsh climatic conditions,” Mr Chogo told Nation.co.ke on phone.
The committees chair Mr Ukiru declined to divulge any information about the trip saying he would only do so “later”.
Nation.co.ke could not immediately establish the cost of the trip on the assembly as Mr Chogo said he was not privy to the information on the same.
The assembly’s clerk Mr Josephat Musambayi said he could only divulge more information after the trip.
Ironically, the same assembly turned the heat on Governor Moses Akaranga’s in 2013 over two trips he made to the America and Germany prompting Mr Akaranga to address the issue in February 2014 when he made his address to the assembly.
