The Meru Assembly passed the County’s Sh10.2 billion buget with 70 per cent expected to go to recurrent expenditure.
Unlike in previous occasions when the Executive and MCAs disagreed with budgetary allocations, the ward reps unanimously passed the document this time around.
Health department was the biggest winner with a total of Sh3.1 billion. Finance, Budget and Appropriations Chairman Julius Mbijjiwe and others said they had done well to pass budget and urged the executive to move with speed to initiate the development projects.
Water Department was allocated Sh811, 331, 649 while Education, Technology, Gender, Culture and Social Department was allocated Sh971, 891,000.
Others include Land, Physical Planning and Public Works (Sh358, 160, 200), Legal Affairs and Public Service (Sh794, 444, 571), Agriculture (Sh615, 961, 662) and County Assembly (Sh911, 750, 000).
The Office of the Governor got Sh285, 901, 480 while the County Treasury got Sh1.1 billion.
The Energy and Transport Department is working with Sh750, 877, 337 as Cooperatives, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise Development was given Sh201, 250,000. Youth and Sports got Sh186, 260,000 as Environment and Natural Resources got Sh90, 820,000.
Mr Mbijjiwe said the committee had done well to allocate Sh90 million to ECDE and Sh100 million for the Meru Youth Service. The purchase of electricity transformers in the wards was also factored in with an allocation of Sh10 million with Mbijjiwe saying the executive must install transformers in each of the 45 wards.
The agriculture department received Sh13.9 million to buy macadamia, avocado and potato seedlings for farmers. The construction of a 15 floor skyscraper being planned by the Meru County will not take off soon after the county Assembly put it on hold. The building which is supposed to occupy a piece of land at Angaine estate just out of Meru town will not commence soon after the ward reps reallocated only Sh50 million to start it.
The construction of a 15 floor skyscraper being planned by the Meru County will not take off soon after the county Assembly put it on hold. The building which is supposed to occupy a piece of land at Angaine estate just out of Meru town will not commence soon after the ward reps reallocated only Sh50 million to start it.
The Meru Rising Tower is an undertaking by the Meru County Investment and Development Corporation, its development agency. Mr Mbijjiwe said funds for the building may be provided through subsequent supplementary budget.
Mr Mbijjiwe said the MCAs will give money for the construction of the building once they (Mcidc) fulfills the requisite requirement of title (deed) ownership. The corporation is yet to secure the title for the tower which is one of the devolved unit’s projects in the Meru County Integrated Development Plan (Cidp).
The corporation is yet to secure the title for the tower which is one of the devolved unit’s projects in the Meru County Integrated Development Plan (Cidp).
Part of the delay in getting the title for the commercial property had been occasioned by a section of residents who went to court to block it, citing lack of adequate public participation. The edifice will comprise of offices, banking halls, restaurants, shopping areas and other facilities. Governor Kiraitu and his deputy Titus Ntuchiu expect the building to earn the government revenue.
