Questions as county government allocates funds to donor funded projects

Tough questions await the county government over inclusion of funds for on-going donor projects in this year’s supplementary budget.

The County Assembly will on Wednesday discuss the proposed Sh2.2 billion increment to the Sh9.2 billion budget that was passed in June.

According to the supplementary budget, the county government has allocated funds for several projects, including those that are being funded by the French government under the Kisumu Urban Project.

Waste management

They include modernisation of four major markets at a cost of Sh20 million, fencing of Kibuye market at Sh35 million and an additional Sh3.3 million for waste management.

Others are modernisation of Kibuye, Jubilee and Otonglo markets, whose constructions have all stalled after a section of traders sought court injunction.

Questions have been raised as to whether the allocations will lead to double funding, even as some members of the assembly’s budget committee told The Standard MCAs were not in agreement with some of the proposals.

Last September, Finance Executive Nerry Achar said the county had problems relocating traders to allow for the modernisation of Jubilee and two other markets.

County officials had secured an open field (Posta Grounds), where nearly 1,500 traders were expected to be relocated as construction went on.

The relocation rule had been stipulated by the French Development Agency, which is funding the Sh300 million Jubilee market as part of the larger Sh4 billion Kisumu Urban Project.

Opponents of the new allocations say there could be duplication of what the French government was doing.

Sh1 billion proposal

The Executive has proposed Sh1 billion for development projects in the city, including another Sh200 million allocation for the relocation of Kachok dumpsite, which has since stalled.

The county government also plans to rehabilitate Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground at a cost of Sh10 million.

According to Finance Executive Nerry Achar, some of the projects listed in the document have been retained from the original budget that was passed in June.

“Through this supplementary budget estimates for 2018/2019 financial year, the county government has proposed to allocate more resources to development,” said Achar.