Nairobi County Assembly acquires new Sh33 million gold-plated mace

The Nairobi City County Assembly has acquired a multi-million-shilling gold-plated mace funded by the taxpayers.

The 11kg mace was initially quoted at Sh30 million when the tender was advertised in January this year but on Tuesday, Speaker Kennedy Ng'ondi said it cost the taxpayer Sh33 million.

The mace was first introduced in the chambers by the Speaker on Tuesday evening when the MCAs resumed sessions after a month-long recess.

The ceremonial mace is highly ornamented and is carried by a mace-bearer, symbolising authority in civic ceremonies and parliamentary proceedings.

Speaker Ng'ondi described it as "a state-of-the-art mace and a delicate instrument representing the authority of the county assembly".

He also emphasised the need for careful handling of the mace, urging MCAs to adhere strictly to the standing orders related to its use.

"This is a state-of-the-art mace and a delicate instrument representing the authority of the county assembly as it conducts business. It is required that its custodians and handlers manage it dutifully with the care it deserves,” Ng’ondi said.

The Speaker advised the MCAs to be well-acquainted with the standing orders concerning the mace to prevent any issues.

Majority Leader Peter Imwatok urged the House to respect the authority of the Speaker as symbolised by the new mace. He noted the historic nature of the acquisition, contrasting it with the mayor's chain that was in use before devolution.

"This is made of gold. It is a historic moment for the county assembly and you cannot compare this mace to the mayor's chain that we had before devolution. We call upon our sergeant-at-arms to keep all MCAs off the mace," he said.

In January, the tender document that was advertised outlined specific details for the mace, including a pyramid design with three solid brass mounts, engraved with the Nairobi County crests gilded with 18ct yellow gold.

The tender was closed on February 12.