Millions of shillings idle in western counties’ accounts

The majority of counties in western Kenya failed to spend a total of Sh1.9 billion released by the Treasury for development programmes.

This was revealed in a statement by Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge, while releasing the second tranche of funds to the counties for this financial year.

The report, released on Monday, indicates that Busia, Bomet, Bungoma, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nyamira, Siaya and Vihiga still have millions of shillings in their accounts.

“The bank balances include the equitable share of revenue raised nationally and county governments’ own revenues collected and banked in the County Revenue Fund and other bank accounts at the Central Bank of Kenya,” said Dr Thugge in the statement.

Bungoma topped the list of the frugal spenders with a bank balance of Sh709 million, followed by Siaya County, with Sh455 million in the bank.

Others are Kisumu (Sh306 million) and Migori, with a bank balance of Sh181 million.

Tharaka Nithi County emerged the highest spender nationally, recording a zero balance in the bank.

Bomet was also on the list of high spenders, having only Sh23,000 left in its development account, followed by Vihiga, with Sh253,000.

However, according to some of the counties, the funds had been committed to various projects and were not idle as indicated.

BUDGETED

Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka and Homa Bay communication director John Oywa said they had already budgeted for the money.

Mr Lusaka, who is also the Council of Governors’ whip, said most counties had earmarked the funds for their development agenda and were awaiting completion of projects.

He said Bungoma planned to use the money in its bank account for road construction.

“We could not pay the contractors until we were sure that all the work had been done to the best of standards,” said Mr Lusaka.

Mr Oywa said that contrary to the claim that the funds were lying idle, the county government had already budgeted for the money in its development projects.

“We have vouchers to pay for the projects we initiated. A majority of them have not been paid for,” he said.

Siaya spent the highest on salaries, forking out Sh469 million, followed by Kakamega County, at Sh440 million.

They were followed by Kericho (Sh215 million) and Vihiga at Sh198 million.

The report says Kakamega received the highest allocation of funds with Sh1.7 billion.

The lowest was Vihiga County, which received Sh726 million from the National Government.