Sitting allowances gobble up Sh1bn

Sitting allowances in counties gobbled up Sh1.1 billion in the first half of this financial year.

According to a new report by the Controller of Budget, county assemblies were on a spending spree on sitting allowances.

The report indicates that money meant for development was being diverted to cater for county assembly members’ sitting allowances.

Nairobi City County spent the highest amount, Sh258.2 million followed by Migori (Sh54.3 million) and Kisii (Sh52.5 million).

Some counties spent up to seven times above their budget, according to the report.

In Kilifi County, Sh12 million was spent against an annual budget of Sh1.7 million, which was seven times above budget.

Director of Budget Agnes Odhiambo says this implies that the county spent money meant for development, which was imprudent.

The report further shows that Turkana county, at Sh600,000 spent the least on the allowance.

UNDERBUDGETTED

Council of governors chairman Isaac Ruto said counties which used more money on sitting allowances might have underbudgetted.

Mr Ruto disagreed with the national government leaders who were condemning counties over expenditures.

He charged that the same leaders had failed to account for over Sh500 billion, according to a recent report.

“The focus is on counties yet no one is raising any issue over the misappropriation of funds and failure to allocate adequate resources to development,” he said.

According to the report, Kakamega spent 197 per cent above budget, Nairobi 161 per cent while Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo counties were at 96 per cent and 94 per cent.

Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Turkana and Nyeri counties spent more than 86 per cent of their annual budget.

The report further shows that some counties spent too much on domestic and foreign travel.

“Counties should come up with policies to manage the travel expenditure to avoid wastage,” the report recommends.

Kiambu County had the highest expenditure on domestic and foreign travels, at Sh131.1 million. Machakos county came second with Sh114.1 million.

Counties that had the lowest expenditures on that vote were Tana River, Mombasa and West Pokot, at between Sh13.2 million and Sh18.4 million.

The report shows that counties spent in excess of what was authorised in their budgets.

On development, Bomet spent Sh3.9 billion between October and December 2013.

Isiolo, Mombasa, Siaya and Mandera did not implement any development project.

Bomet used 40.9 per cent of its revenue on development while Machakos came second with 36.6 per cent. Nyeri was third with 26.7 per cent.

“It is clear that the county government of Bomet has exercised due diligence and prudence in financial management, so are other several counties,” said Mr Ruto.

“Those who have been accusing the county of all manner of ills and financial impropriety are invited to look at the report before passing judgement.

“While the national government has only spent 10 per cent in development, we in Bomet are spending 42 per cent and we are low on recurrent expenditure,” he said.

The report shows that Nairobi County had the highest expenditure on purchase of motor vehicles, at Sh341.8 million. Turkana was second, at Sh279.2 million.

Narok county came third in motor vehicle purchase, spending Sh225.7 million.

The report further says that counties performed poorly in revenue collection, had escalating wage bills and poor use of the financial management information system.

During the first six months of the 2013/14 financial calendar, the counties collected Sh9 billion from local resources, while they received Sh66.5 billion from the national government.

On county executive services vote, Nairobi had the highest expenditure, at Sh7.5 billion, while Mombasa county had Sh1.6 billion.
Executive services

Kiambu county’s expenditure on executive services was Sh1.6 billion.

The county assemblies with the highest expenditure were in Nairobi, Homa Bay and Busia at Sh499.5 million, Sh301.9 million and Sh227.1 million respectively.

Those with the lowest were Tana River, Taita Taveta and Lamu at Sh2.9 million, Sh15.6 million and Sh31.9 million respectively.

On debt repayment and pending bills, the city county still topped, with Sh1.8 billion.

The other counties that repaid debts and pending bills include Mombasa, Tana River, Kisumu, Nyeri and Narok.