County legacy projects suffer after budget cuts
News
By
John Shilitsa
| Mar 11, 2020
The Kakamega County Assembly has slashed budgetary allocations for some flagship projects initiated by Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
The funds slashed in the 2019/2020 supplementary budget the MCAs passed recently were allocated to other projects across the county departments.
Some key projects affected by the reallocation of funds include upgrade of Bukhungu Stadium, Early Childhood Development Education centres, as well as roads and infrastructure projects.
READ MORE
When is the best time to invest?
Why manufacturers want five-year tax break on SME loans
Miraa farmers sue Murkomen, KAA over Sh4,000 levy at JKIA
Court orders KPLC to pay firm Sh50 million for trespass
Co-shared workspace firms spread footprints
Cooperatives protest Lipton tea estates sale to Sri Lankan firm
Fears of maize seed crisis as floods hit Perkerra irrigation scheme
UK tea giant Lipton to sell 15pc stake to local farmers in deal
Why oil products' volume rises or drops during transportation
Private equity fund Ascent gets minority share in Dune Packaging
Initially, Sh700 million had been set aside for phase two of the construction of Bukhungu Stadium. However, the MCAs have reduced the budget by Sh100 million.
The move could slow down plans to have the 25,000-seater facility complete by 2022. Oparanya’s administration had earlier estimated the phase two works would cost Sh3 billion.
Once complete, the stadium will feature modern conference facilities, indoor gymnasiums, media centre, recreational park, swimming pool, warm-up pitches, banks and shops, among others.
Sports minister Robert Makhanu had said they had staggered allocations to the project due to financial constraints, but assured residents that the quality of work will not be compromised.
Phase one was completed in December 2017, the year Bukhungu hosted Cecafa Senior Challenge following approval by Football Kenya Federation.
MCAs took away Sh30 million from roads and infrastructure, which will now go into protection of water springs with each one of the 60 wards expected to receive Sh500,000 for the initiative.
Access to clean drinking water has been a challenge where most natural springs have been drying up, especially during dry spells.
Under education, Sh52 million earmarked for procurement of furniture for ECDE centres will now be used to upgrade the existing centres, which the MCAs claimed lacked classrooms and other physical facilities.
The MCAs also demanded that the county treasury should be allocating at least Sh15 million out of its Sh100 million to boost the county shelter improvement programme at Sh9 million and development of the county policy framework for Children, Youth and Gender and a county boda boda programme at Sh4.6 million and Sh2 million, respectively.
Community health volunteers (CHVs), who went without pay in the 2018/2019 fiscal year are a happy lot after the assembly allocated them Sh40 million. The money will be used to pay stipends to at least 2,735 CHVs.
Budget and Appropriations committee chairman Willis Opuka said the reallocation would benefit key sectors for the good of residents.
The county assembly will conduct public hearings on the Kakamega County Fiscal Strategy Paper for the Financial Year 2020 today ahead of the March 15 deadline.
- Miraa farmers sue Murkomen, KAA over Sh4,000 levy at JKIA
- UK tea giant Lipton to sell 15pc stake to local farmers in deal
- Fears of maize seed crisis as floods hit Perkerra irrigation scheme
- Fuliza: Kenya eyes Sh160 billion loan from World Bank
- Treasury increases Hustler Fund as borrowers struggle to get loans