Bungoma assembly rejects plan to divert funds to tarmac road

The Bungoma County Assembly has told off the executive over the planned diversion of funds from different ministries to help fund the tarmacking of Misikhu-Brigadier road.

The tarmacking of the road will be undertaken in a joint venture between the national and the county government.

Governor Ken Lusaka said that the county government will provide Sh500 million and the national government will provide the for the road project

"It is a cost sharing venture. We also need money to finish this project but funds were never allocated for it. That is why we are asking various ministries to help us undertake this project," he said.

However, the assembly’s Health Committee Chairman Chrisanthus Wechuli and his Public Administration committee counterpart Edward Barasa have cautioned the county executive against the plan to divert part of funds allocated to the two departments to fund another project.

The two said that the executive is planning to divert Sh114 million from the Health department and Sh300 million from the Public Administration department to accomplish their mission through the second supplementary budget.

"We can't accept to be duped. The cash has been planned for upgrading of local dispensaries and clinics. Let it do the job we initially planned it for, we don't want to divert any single cent," said Wechuli.

Mr Barasa, who is also the Musikoma Ward representative, said that the transfer of funds from their ministry will paralyse operations and projects they had initially planned for.

"We can't afford to pass the budget which is later interfered with by the executive, let the money do its (planned) job," he said.