Bungoma County to lose Sh566m due to error

Bungoma County Governor Ken Lusaka. He said although they agreed that Busia should get back its money, not clarification was made on who should make the refund. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The mistake occurred after the 2009 census wrongly placed parts of Teso South and Teso North in Bungoma and not in Busia.
  • Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong’ has blamed an inadequacy of the law for the delay in the release of the funds.
  • In January, the Busia county assembly wrote to the Senate asking for its intervention in the matter.

The revenue allocation commission has asked the National Treasury to recover Sh566 million that was wrongly allocated to Bungoma County in 2013.

The money belonged to Busia County and should be subtracted from Bungoma’s allocation this financial year, the Commission on Revenue Allocation said.

The mistake occurred after the 2009 census wrongly placed parts of Teso South and Teso North in Bungoma and not in Busia.

The revenue commission shares out funds based on a county’s population.

“We accordingly ask the Treasury to recover Sh566.6 million from the equitable revenue allocation for 2015/16 financial year to Bungoma and increase the allocation of Busia by a similar amount,” said Mr Micah Cheserem, the commission’s chairman, in a letter to the Treasury dated July 15.

Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong’ has blamed an inadequacy of the law for the delay in the release of the funds.

The law lacked a clear provision that could have enabled his government to get the money from Bungoma, he argued.

“Busia has suffered for long already.

"With Sh550 million, we can equip a lot of health facilities and dig hundreds of boreholes,” Mr Ojaamong’ said by phone Sunday.

Busia Senator Amos Wako said he had written to the commission, the Ministry of Devolution and Planning and the National Treasury over the matter.

BOARD LIABLE FOR MISTAKE

The National Census Board was liable for the mistake and Bungoma should not be blamed for receiving money meant for Busia if the board gave a wrong population map to the revenue commission, he said.

“The Treasury will call a meeting where we will agree on how this money will be provided,” the senator said from Geneva, Switzerland.

In response to the CRA letter, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich called the commission, Mr Ojaamong’, Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka, Senator Wako and his counterpart Moses Wetang’ula to a meeting to “iron out the issues”.

However, the Nation has established, only Mr Cheserem attended the July 21 meeting.

“We met CS Rotich and agreed that he will make a decision with no further meeting,” Mr Cheserem said.

Governor Lusaka Sunday said although they agreed that Busia should get back its money, not clarification was made on who should make the refund.

“We have already used the money and the funds we are getting now are already budgeted for other things,” Mr Lusaka said by phone.

“But I believe when we meet all the relevant agencies, we should be able to make progress.”

In January, the Busia county assembly wrote to the Senate asking for its intervention in the matter.