Ward reps land Sh2.5bn windfall
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich (left) with Mutava Musyimi, the chairman of the National Assembly's Budget and Appropriations Committee. London based ratings agency, Fitch, has downgraded Kenya’s ability borrow from the international market. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- MCAs have come under criticism for arm-twisting their respective county governments to channel more resources towards non-essential engagements such as foreign travel and personal emoluments at the expense of development functions.
- Also to reap big from the revised allocations include the assemblies of Kirinyaga (Sh101m), Nyandarua (Sh99m), Kiambu (Sh98m), Mandera (Sh91m), Narok (Sh78m) and Migori (Sh75m).
- The revised estimates have put the Senate on a collision course with county governments, with the Council of Governors stating that it would move to court to stop the new allocations.
Members of county assemblies in Turkana, Vihiga, Meru, Nairobi and Garissa counties are the biggest winners in the Senate’s decision to increase this year’s recurrent expenditure for 34 counties by a whopping Sh2.5 billion.
According to the revised budgetary allocations for county assemblies prepared by the Senate Committee for Finance, MCAs in Turkana will pocket an additional Sh395 million over and above the ceilings recommended by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).
The CRA’s ceilings are intended to limit the county governments’ spending on recurrent expenditure such as salaries and free money for development.
MCAs have come under criticism for arm-twisting their respective county governments to channel more resources towards non-essential engagements such as foreign travel and personal emoluments at the expense of development functions.
In some cases, MCAs have refused to approve their county government budgets until their demands were met.
Other big winners in the revised allocations include MCAs from Vihiga who will receive an extra Sh197 million, Meru (Sh152m), Nairobi (Sh151m) and Garissa (Sh119m) to fund their wellbeing.
Also to reap big from the revised allocations include the assemblies of Kirinyaga (Sh101m), Nyandarua (Sh99m), Kiambu (Sh98m), Mandera (Sh91m), Narok (Sh78m) and Migori (Sh75m).
Others assemblies to benefit from the revised allocations are Homa Bay, Nakuru, Makueni, Siaya, Kilifi, Taita-Taveta, Laikipia, Tana River and Muranga.
Also to benefit are MCAs from Kisii, Bomet, Marsabit, Kwale, Kajiado, Tharaka Nithi, Trans Nzoia, Nyeri, Kitui, Bungoma, Embu, Samburu, Busia and Elgeyo-Marakwet.
It means the 34 county governments affected by the Senate’s decision will have to reduce their development expenditure in order to cater for the increased allocations to their respective assemblies.
The revised estimates have put the Senate on a collision course with county governments, with the Council of Governors stating that it would move to court to stop the new allocations.
“What the Senate has done is arbitrary, retroactive and devoid of public participation.
“All the Senate did was to listen to the County Assemblies Forum and increase the allocations of the 34 county assemblies. I am going to sign the court papers this very minute,” said Council of Governors (CoG) chairman Peter Munya.
Mr Munya accused the Senate committee, chaired by Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow, of turning down a request by governors to give their presentations regarding the revised allocations. The CRA also questioned the move by the Senate and warned that it will affect service delivery in the counties.
But Mr Kerrow, whose committee revised the allocations, said the decision was based on requests from the 34 county assemblies to enable them to effectively run their operations.
“We have allocated an additional Sh2.5 billion to 34 of the 47 counties after they asked for additional cash. Those who did not apply will get what the CRA approved in their ceilings,” Mr Kerrow said.
