Government dangles additional Sh32.7b to counties, Meru tops beneficiaries

Meru Governor Peter Munya and chairman of Council of Governors addresses members of press at Delta House in Westlands. The government is proposing to add Sh32.7 billion to the counties’ coffers in the next financial year, pushing the total allocation to Sh334.9 billion. (PHOTO: EDWARD KIPLIMO/ STANDARD) 

The government is proposing to add Sh32.7 billion to the counties’ coffers in the next financial year, pushing the total allocation to Sh334.9 billion.

In proposals contained in a draft Budget Policy Statement for the 2017-18 financial year, Meru County will be the biggest winner if the plans are approved.

According to the draft now open to public for comments, Meru County will get Sh12.2 billion in the next financial year. This is 29 per cent higher than the Sh9.42 billion it has been allocated in the current financial year.

The county will get Sh3.95 billion in form of loans and grants, being the highest among the 47 counties.

Only Nairobi comes closer with Sh2.15 billion. Governor Peter Munya’s (pictured) county will also receive Sh123.8 million for free maternity and Sh196.8 million as road maintenance levy fund.

Nairobi County, which still tops in terms of total allocation and the only other county that will see double digit per cent increase in allocation, stands to get Sh17.98 billion. This will be 19.9 per cent hike from the Sh14.99 it expects to get by the lapse of the current financial year.

This means only Nairobi and Meru will see at least a billion shilling increase in their allocations, with Turkana County coming closer with Sh980.2 million. This will put its total allocation at Sh12.69 billion.

Other counties which will see at least nine per cent increase in their allocations from the National Government are Garissa, Uasin Gishu, Tharaka Nithi, Mombasa, Kitui, Kilifi and Laikipia.

Lamu County, which the national Treasury is proposing to give an additional Sh104.7 million, will be the least beneficiary. That will push the total allocation to Sh2.59 billion.

However, when calculated as allocation per person, each person in Lamu will have received Sh25,482 from the Treasury kitty. At this level, only Isiolo residents rank higher at Sh26,512 per capita.

In the proposals, the government intends to spend Sh4.26 billion on financing Level Five hospitals spread in various counties. Mombasa County will get the highest allocation of Sh476.7 million while the least allocation will be in Embu County (Sh228.2 million).

On free maternal health care, counties will share Sh4.5 billion equally, meaning that each county will get Sh95.7 million. A further Sh4.3 billion will be disbursed to cater for free maternity health care. Some 15 counties will get at least Sh100 million. If the policy statement is adopted, Nairobi will get Sh302.6 million followed by Kiambu with Sh224.8 million.

The proposals come at a time counties are facing a number of audit queries from the Auditor General while on the other hand governors are crying for additional funds.

National Treasury CS Henry Rotich has said that key priorities in the budget dubbed ‘Consolidating economic gains in an environment of subdued global demand’ will be on infrastructure, health, education, social safety and the august 2017 elections.