Questions as Kisumu cuts development by Sh400 million in new budget

The Kisumu Assembly is set to debate the county's Sh11.2 billion budget, which proposes to cut funds meant for development by about Sh400 million.

This comes as high wage bill and recurrent budget are allocated a big chunk of the funds, or approximately 45 per cent.

In the proposals, Governor Anyang' Nyong’o’s administration has only allocated 32 per cent of its budget towards development, which falls short of the 35 per cent required by law.

The allocation is set to cast doubt on the completion of several projects that have stalled across the county, with some dating back to the 2013/2014 financial year.

Yesterday, members of the County Assembly Budget Committee told The Standard they are reviewing the proposals and will make adjustments as necessary, adding they will only endorse the document if the stalled projects are addressed.

“We are still going through the budget and we also have our reservations about some of the proposals,” said a member who sought anonymity.

In the budget, the health department is set to get Sh3.7 billion. The amount will be used to offset salaries as well as support other health services.

Questions, however, still linger on whether the allocations will be enough to restore sanity to the sector, which is synonymous with several controversies, including frequent strikes.

Nyong’o’s office has been allocated Sh647 million for offsetting salaries and general maintenance. It is, however, unclear whether the county government will be able to complete some of the stalled projects.

The projects include dispensaries, early childhood education centres, roads, resource centres, village colleges and the controversial Huduma centres.

A spot check by The Standard across the region established that some of the projects that have stalled midway are in a sorry state and will have to be redone.

In Kajulu, a market where Sh10 million had been spent is in a pathetic condition after it was abandoned in 2018 and is now just a shell.

Area MCA Roy Samu said his attempt to push the Executive to complete the market has been unsuccessful.

“Our main interest is to ensure that ward projects are completed and that is what we have been looking forward to in the budget,” he said.

According to the Finance County Executive George Okong’o, the budget has also focused on key projects.

“We believe that this is a responsive budget aligned to people’s welfare,” said Okong’o.