By Betty Luke
The recent passing of Sh5.7 billion supplementary budget I for financial year 2020/2021 after more than three weeks impasse pitting MCAs and the executive was politically motivated.
Behind the MCAs earlier concerns over low allocation for pending bills, was a hidden agenda to have their selfish interests considered.
Following MCAs initial hard stance over the document, Governor Mohammed Kuti held series of meetings locally and in Nairobi before the idea to unlock the impasse was hatched.
It is after the MCAs Sh2 million car grant was factored in the budget that the legislators unanimously agreed to pass the document, the Press Point can confirm.
The supplementary budget surpassed the county’s annual budget with Sh1 billion.
“Would you have rejected the offer?” One of the MCAs who did not want to be quoted said.
Of the funds, Sh3.7 billion was for recurrent expenditure while Sh2 billion on development, money which must be used by June 30 (next Wednesday) when the current financial year ends.
The County Assembly was allocated Sh459 million for staff salaries and expenses and adminstration, legislation and oversight services.
The Governor’s office got Sh464 million which will cater for recurrent expenses at the office, County Secretary, County Public Service Board, Governor’s delivery unit and pay salaries for the cabinet and other officers working at the Governor’s office.
County Treasury and Economic Planning, Special Programmes, ICT and Cohesion were allocated Sh479 million while the Education, Youth, Sports, Gender and Culture got Sh286 million all for recurrent expenses.
Tourism, Culture and Trade department was allocated Sh364 milion while the Agriculture department Sh209 million to be used on regulatory management of inputs and outputs in agriculture and facilitating supply of agricultural extension services and research.
Recurrent expenditure for Health Services, Land, Roads and Public Works and Municipal Adminstration was allocated Sh112 million, Sh64 million and Sh76 million respectively.
The Agriculture department took the lion’s share of the county’s development funds getting Sh601 million and was closely followed by County Treasury that got Sh461 million allocation for capital expenditure including payment of pending bills for previous years.
Some Sh261 million was set aside for ongoing construction of the county headquarters and Municipal adminstration while Sh100 million directed towards County Assembly development.
Land department got Sh178 million, Water (Sh145 million), Health (Sh133 million), Education (Sh129 million) and Tourism got the least allocation for development at Sh25 million.
