Roads get lions share of Sh6.4 billion budget

Roads get lions share of Sh6.4 billion budget.

The Transport and Public Works department will be the biggest beneficiary in 2019/20 Sh6.4 billion county government budget.

According to the budget statement tabled before the Nyandarua County assembly by Finance Executive Mary Mugwanja, the department is set to get Sh738,320,298 to improve road infrastructure.

Out of the amount, Sh200 million will go towards buying machinery for construction of roads.

“The roads department is key to the development of the county, as farmers rely on the sector to transport their farm produce to the market. That is why we have identified the sector and given it priority,” said Ms Mugwanja.

She said most roads in the region were in deplorable condition, adding that each of the 20 wards would be allocated Sh20 million for repairs.

People-friendly

“We plan to rehabilitate all of them by September this year once the budget is passed. Over 1,100km will have been put under murram by then,” she said.

The Health sector has been allocated Sh602 million.

Out of this, the county plans to spend Sh70 million for the upgrading of JM Kariuki Hospital to Level Four.

Other allocations include Agriculture, Sh312 million, Trade and Industries Sh337 million, Water and Irrigation department Sh226 million while Education has Sh190 million.

The assembly is set to get Sh615 million, according to the budget statement.

Assembly Budget Committee Chairperson Kiiru Gachomba praised the budget statement terming it people-friendly.

“This is the best budget that will cater for the needs of the Nyandarua people. All the needs of the residents have been put into consideration and we expect to see total transformation in all the sectors,” he said.