Locals to get better health services with Sh1.7bn lump sum

Kwale County Governor Salim Mvurya during an interview with the Nation at his Mvindeni office on April 26, 2016. He assured residents the challenges confronting the health sector will be resolved. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Mvurya expressed optimism that the budget will enable the county government resolve all key development problems.

Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya has approved a Sh6.2 billion budget for the financial year 2016/2017 giving priority to health, education, water, infrastructure and agriculture.

The departments have received an allocation of Sh1.7 billion, Sh1.1 billion, Sh453 million, Sh386 million and Sh294 million respectively.

Out of the total allocation, 32.2 per cent is for personnel emoluments, 15.8 per cent for operations and maintenance, 48 for recurrent expenditure and 52 per cent for development.

Addressing journalists outside his office on Thursday, Mr Mvurya expressed optimism that the budget will enable the county government resolve all key development problems.

He added that the budget put into considerations all issues raised by locals during the public participation process that was conducted in several wards.

“This is budget is very important because it is in line with the promises which we made to our people that we will fulfill once they elected us in office,” he said.

He assured residents the challenges confronting the health sector will be resolved.

One of the measures it has undertaken to ameliorate the sector is by employing an additional 440 employees and purchasing medical equipment.

“In this budget I have approved that we buy a CT-Scan machine for Msambweni hospital to minimize the need to take our patients to Coast General hospital for special treatment,” he said.

Mr Mvurya promised that the allocation of Sh453 million for the department of water is going to put to an end the problem of water scarcity as it will be invested in different projects.

He added that his government is going to engage Coast Water and Kenya Power on how to improve service delivery.

“We are going to engage the water company because we have invested in areas where it could as well have invested if it truly cares about the people of Kwale,” he said.

The county chief asked the national government to disburse the funds on time.

Other departments that received allocation include finance (Sh308 million), trade (Sh197 million), tourism (Sh118 million) and lands (Sh102 million).

Editing by Philip Momanyi