Rift Valley counties spent less than half of budget on development, report shows

Governors in the 14 Rift Valley counties spent only Sh28 billion of their Sh79 billion total expenditure in the 2015/2016 financial year on development.

This amount is significantly lower than the Sh51 billion they used to pay salaries and wages and other forms of recurrent expenditure during the same period.

A close look at the year’s expenditure shows a huge percentage of the counties’ development funds were used on improvement of infrastructure with the highest amount going to construction and maintenance of roads.

The Controller of Budget’s report shows that Turkana County spent Sh6.4 billion of its Sh9.7 billion annual development budget on various development projects.

Governor Josephat Nanok used Sh1.3 billion to construct classrooms, health centres, dispensaries and offices, the highest expenditure of the development budget, shows the report.

Expenditure on irrigation and water schemes across the 30 wards was the second highest.

A further Sh490.2 million was used on establishing county funds. The governor spent Sh3.7 billion on recurrent expenses.

In contrast, however, Elgeyo-Marakwet, which spent Sh2.9 billion in the 2015/2016 financial year, only used Sh653 million on development activities.

“This is compared to Sh2.3 billion spent on recurrent expenditure. This represented 45.7 per cent of its Sh1.4 billion annual development budget,” reads the report adding that governor is Alex Tolgos spent Sh97 million on roads.

HIGHEST ABSORPTION

Governor Isaac Ruto had the highest absorption of the development budget in the region spending Sh2.3 billion on development projects in Bomet County.

This represents 94.5 per cent of the county’s annual development budget of Sh2.4 billion. The county spent Sh2.8 billion on recurrent expenses.

Out of this, Sh275.8 million was spent on roads.

Bomet’s second highest expenditure of Sh256 million was incurred by the Social Services department on transfers to the elderly while Sh183.3 million was spent on construction of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) classrooms.

Cumulatively, the 14 counties spent Sh51 billion on salaries and other recurrent expenses.

West Pokot in the North Rift spent Sh797 million of its Sh1.6 billion development budget on construction of an agricultural training centre at Keringeti, ward offices, the governor’s residence, students’ hostels and a kitchen hall at Chester Teachers Training College.

“Under the same budget, the county constructed ECDE classrooms at the West Pokot ECD College and used part of the funds to complete construction of staff houses at various dispensaries and an ICU unit and casualty wing at Kapenguria County Referral Hospital,” reads the report.

Kericho County spent Sh1.7 billion on its development activities compared to Sh3.1 billion spent on recurrent expenses, representing 78.1 per cent of the annual development budget of Sh2.2 billion.

ON ROADS

The highest amount was spent on 319km roads opened in the county on which Sh872.1 million was spent.

An analysis of the budget performance shows the Roads and Public Works department attained the highest absorption rate of development expenditure at 98.4 per cent.

Samburu County spent Sh1.2 billion on development compared to Sh2.5 billion on recurrent expenditure. “This represented 65.1 per cent of the annual development budget of Sh1.8 billion, the highest expenditure going to construction and maintenance of access roads which incurred Sh127.3 million,” the report says.

The county spent Sh78.8 million on supporting community conservancies, which was the second highest expenditure in the development budget.

Out of the Sh10.4 billion spent in 2015/2016, Nakuru County spent Sh2.2 billion on development projects against Sh8.2 billion spent on recurrent expenses.

Of this, Governor Kinuthia Mbugua spent Sh176.3 million on construction and maintenance of access roads. A further Sh99.5 million was spent on purchase of motor graders and bull dozers.

A total of Sh37.5 million and Sh27.1 million was spent on consultancy services for digital topographical mapping and on supply of vaccines, respectively.

RECURRENT EXPENSES

Baringo County spent Sh1.3 billion of its Sh4.7 billion budget on development against Sh3.4 billion on recurrent expenses. This represented 53.9 per cent of the annual development budget of Sh2.4 billion.

The highest development expenditure of Sh283.4 million went to maintenance of access roads.

Water and irrigation consumed the second highest amounts in the development budget at Sh253.6 million spent on construction of water pans, connection and establishment of irrigation schemes.

Narok Governor Samuel Tunai spent Sh7.2 billion in the financial year out of which Sh2.1 billion went to development and Sh5.1 billion on recurrent expenses. The development absorption represented 77.6 per cent of the Sh2.7 billion annual development budget.

Out of this, the highest expenditure of Sh1.2 billion was spent on development and maintenance of roads.

The second highest expenditure of Sh403.1 million went to construction of schools and other learning facilities.

Nandi County used Sh3 billion on recurrent expenditure, while Sh2 billion was spent on development, the highest expenditure of Sh551.1 million going into construction and maintenance of access roads.

The second highest expenditure of Sh443.5 million was incurred by the health services department and Sh349.7 million was spent on water supply.

BUS PARK

In Trans-Nzoia, the county administration spent Sh1.8 billion on development, with the highest expenditure of Sh655.1 million going towards construction of a bus park, street lighting, and routine maintenance of access roads, culvert installation, ditches and trench opening.

The county spent Sh337 million on construction of a referral hospital and renovation works in the health facilities.

Uasin Gishu County’s highest development expenditure of Sh644.3 million was incurred by the Roads and Public Works department on grading, gravelling and maintenance of access roads. The county spent Sh4 billion on recurrent expenses and Sh2.2 billion on development.

In Kajiado, an analysis of the development expenditure shows the highest amount of Sh385.8 million of the Sh1.5 billion on development went towards construction of learning facilities.

The second highest expenditure of Sh181.5 million was spent by the roads department and a further Sh156.9 million on construction, rehabilitation and equipping of health facilities.

Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu, who spent a total of Sh4 billion in the year used Sh1.3 billion of his Sh2.2 billion development budget, with the highest amount of Sh330.6 million going into roads and bridges.