The entrance of Isiolo County Assembly headquarters
In Isiolo County, out of a Sh5.5 billion budget the Health Sector has a significantly enhanced allocation, Sh1.3 billion.
As Governor Mohamed Kuti aims to continue an ambitious spread of health services to ensure even far-flung localities are adequately catered for, much-needed medical equipment are to be installed at Merti and Garbatullah areas.
The Finance, Special Programmes and Economic Planning department got Sh979m as Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries having Sh665m.
Even as Dr Kuti cited challenges of providing services as a result of financial constraints he has listed key achievements he wants to improve on in the current financial year.
The devolved unit could only manage to raise Sh200m in the last financial year, partly due to the emergence of the Covid-19 which most counties blamed for shrunk budgets.
Even with the financial short-falls he has been able to install oxygen plants at the Isiolo Referral Hospital and at Garbatullah Sub County hospital.
That, in addition to construction of two 12-bed paediatric wards at Ol-donyonyiro and Garbatullah, operationalization of two theatres at Merti and Garbatulla and a dialysis centre, are key milestones in the county.
With Livestock being the mainstay of Isiolo residents where about 80 percent of livelihoods depend on it, the county has allocated for Agriculture a budget of Sh665 million for its development and for other agricultural and fisheries projects.
Though the county has a significant number of livestock the challenges are replete, including poor governance of the rangelands due to absence of legal frameworks of land tenure, frequent drought and lack of organized markets for livestock and their products.
But flood incidents have also been blamed for lost livestock and livelihoods, hence the decision to set aside a kitty of Sh120m for storm water management in Isiolo town and after an outcry by residents, Sh13.5m has been set aside for purchase of vehicles for urban cleaning and rehabilitation of dumpsites in the municipality.
For youth, women and people living with disability, a budget of Sh22m was approved for the lot.
Other allocation include County Assembly (Sh528m), Education, Youth and Gender (Sh390m), Tourism, Trade and Public Administration (Sh374m), Land, Physical Planning and Roads (Sh235m) and Water, Energy and Environment (Sh215m).
Access to water for irrigation and domestic use remains one of the most pressing need for majority of residents, hitting Kuti’s agenda to improve food security.
The long distances to water points, land degradation and depletion of water catchment areas have been identified as the areas which need urgent remedy, hence the allocation of more resources, budget constraints notwithstanding.
Completion of a stadium in Isiolo town will consume Sh90m, the County Assembly chambers Sh80m and county headquarters Sh90 million.
A modern market that in the town expected to benefit more than 1,000 traders was allocated Sh135m while Sh155m will go towards improving the roads and other infrastructure in the 10 wards.
And the Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Abdi Duba fired a caution to the executives manning the different departments, saying the MCAs, while discharging their oversight role, expect the executive arm to ensure public resources are used prudently, for benefit of residents.
The construction of ECDE centres across the county are to use a kitty of Sh20, as the government seeks to build on success in increased enrolment rates at the facilities.
