A rush to complete development projects and pay pending bills is being witnessed in many counties as governors prepare for the general elections.
Based on the recently released report on the usage of money by the Controller of Budget, recurrent activities are consuming a big portion of money allocated to the counties at the expense of development leaving the taxpayers complaining of little development activities by the county governments in the upper eastern part of Kenya.
The counties in the region continue to spend less on development activities like infrastructure, agriculture, water and health.
Issues like travel and accommodation and allowances for members of the County Assemblies as well as officers from the executive continue to increase despite the effects of COVID 19.
We are looking at how governors utilized the taxpayers’ money in the last financial year and how they are spending the same now as the general election comes closer.
MERU
In the last financial year, Meru County received Kshs.8.04 billion as an equitable share of the revenue raised nationally, Kshs.1.27 billion as conditional grants while it raised Kshs.435 million as own-source revenue.
By the end of the financial year, the Controller of Budget had allowed the Kiraitu Murungi administration to withdrawal Kshs. 10.15 billion where Kshs.2.78 billion (27%) for development programs and Kshs.7.37 billion (72%) for recurrent programs without including the pending bills that were slightly above Ksh 1 Billion as of 30th June 2021.
Expenditure on compensation to employees was 43.6 per cent of the total that makes and 39.3 % of available revenue against the Public Finance Management Regulations, 2015 that on allows a county government to use a maximum of 35%.
Despite COVID 19 related issues Domestic travel amounted to Kshs.342.66 million and comprised Kshs.218.99 million spent by the County Assembly and Kshs.123.67 million spent by the County Executive.
Meru residents are optimistic that being an election year, governor Kiraitu Murungi will perform better especially on the issues that touch on the development.
THARAKA NITHI
The County Government of Tharaka Nithi received Kshs.4.26 billion from the equitable share of the revenue raised nationally while conditional grants contributed Kshs.785.51 million. The county also generated Kshs.254.75 million making a total of Kshs.5.55 billion for use in the last financial year.
The Controller of Budget allowed the Muthomi Njuki government to withdrawal Kshs.5.07 billion where Kshs.1.32 billion was used for development and Kshs.3.75 billion to cater for recurrent expenditure representing 97% of the total funds released.
The controller of budget observed that the County government of Tharaka Nithi recorded high pending bills, which amounted to Kshs.511.29 million for development activities and Kshs.284.62 million for recurrent costs as at the end of 2020/21 financial year.
Opinion polls have in the recent past has rated governor Njuki as one of the best performing governors in Kenya on matters that touch on development. The governor is expected to maintain the tempo as the election date comes closer where he will be seeking their mandate to serve his second term.
EMBU
In the last financial year, the Controller of Budget approved withdrawals of Kshs5.89 billion by the Wambora administration where
Kshs.1.51 billion (25.6 %) financed development programs and Kshs.4.38 billion (74.4 %) was used to pay for recurrent programs.
The County Government of Embu spent Kshs.1.28 billion on development and Kshs.3.94 to finance recurrent programs. Governor Wambora is serving his final term as governor and all eyes are on him as he uses his final bunch of county government money to serve the residents of the county.
ISIOLO
County Government of Isiolo received Kshs.4.24 billion as the equitable share of the revenue raised nationally, Kshs.512.68 million as conditional grants and raised Kshs. 57.18 million as own-source revenue, The total funds available for budget implementation amounted to Kshs. 4.57 billion.
The Governor Kuti government used Kshs. 4.17 billion in the last financial year where Kshs. 1.10 billion (24.7 %) for development and Kshs. 3.35 billion (75.3 %) for recurrent activities without including more than 1 Billion shillings owed to suppliers as of 30th June 2021.
Controller of Budget report revealed that money used on compensation to employees was 47 % of the total expenditure for the 2020/2021 financial year and 45.1 % of revenue against the Public Finance Management (County Governments) Regulations, 2015 sets a limit of the County Government’s expenditure on wages and benefits at 35 per cent.
Governor Kuti seeks re-election through his development agenda and completion of projects in the current financial year.
SAMBURU
The County Government of Samburu received Kshs.6.79 billion for the last financial year.
Analysis of expenditure by economic classification indicates that the County spent Kshs.2.20 billion on employee compensation, Kshs.1.65 billion on operations and maintenance, and Kshs.1.37 million on development activities.
According to the Controller of Budget, various challenges are hampering the process of execution of various activities that are aimed at improving the lives of Samburu residents among them using the biggest share of the resources in recurrent expenditure instead of development.
The expenditure of Kshs.1.37 billion in development and Kshs.2.53 billion in recurrent shows the laxity of the county government at the expense of suffering citizens.
Residents of Samburu are now looking for a suitable candidate to replace Governor Moses Lenolkulal who is serving his second and last term in office.
