Bomet, Mombasa and Wajir spent development funds appropriately, report says
What you need to know:
According to the Annual Implementation Report released by the office of the Controller of Budget, county budgets amounted to Sh367.44 billion, with recurrent expenditure receiving Sh208.82 billion and Sh158.62 billion set aside for development activities.
However, counties spent only Sh295.30 billion, leaving Sh72 billion unutilised.
Bomet, Mombasa and Wajir have been named as counties that spent their development funds appropriately.
Makueni, Embu and Taita-Taveta were listed as the worst performers.
According to the Annual Implementation Report released by the office of the Controller of Budget, county budgets amounted to Sh367.44 billion, with recurrent expenditure receiving Sh208.82 billion and Sh158.62 billion set aside for development activities.
However, counties spent only Sh295.30 billion, leaving Sh72 billion unutilised.
Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo warned that an increase in the wage bill will reduce spending on development activities in the long run. Salaries accounted for at least 40 per cent of the total expenditure.
Money for salaries
“There is need for county governments to ensure that expenditure on personnel emoluments is contained at sustainable levels,” she urged.
Only four counties spent more money on development than on salaries and met operational costs. These are Wajir, Tana River, Turkana and Kwale, which allocated more on development activities in their budgets.
At the same time seven counties spent less than half of their development budget in the entire financial year. They include Makueni, Embu, Nakuru, Taita-Taveta, Machakos, Kisumu and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties.
Counties spent Sh13 billion on travel and allowances in the last financial year.
In domestic and foreign travel, six counties spent more than the approved annual allocation. These are Kwale, Murang’a, Trans Nzoia, Makueni, Machakos and Turkana counties.
According to the Controller of Budget, this is an indication of weak budgetary control.
“The counties should, therefore, enhance budgetary controls to ensure expenditure is within law,” said Ms Odhiambo.
County executives in Kwale and Trans Nzoia, for instance, spent Sh236 million and Sh106 million on travel, against a budget allocation of Sh122 million and Sh140 million, respectively.
Nairobi County had the highest expenditure on domestic and foreign travel, at Sh637.05 million, followed by Migori and Kajiado at Sh622.53 million and Sh494.71 million, respectively.
Narok, Homa Bay and Elgeyo-Marakwet spent the least in travel expenses.
