Needy children, youth, women to benefit from Sh9.08 billion budget in Kajiado

Kajiado County Assembly budget and appropriation Committee Chairman Mr Henry Kimiti tables County budget allocation of sh. 9.08 billion at the chambers in Kajiado yesterday. Needy students, youth and women in businesses are beneficiaries. [Peterson Githaiga/Standard]

The county government has set aside Sh1.21 billion to clear pending bills in response to recent directive from President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The provision was made in the Sh9.08 billion budget for 2019/2020 financial year presented by the County Assembly Budget and Appropriation Committee.

The county has also allocated Sh20 million to kick off construction of a local public university and a similar amount to equip all technical training institutions across the county.

About Sh3.2 billion has been allocated for the county’s flagship projects, Sh750 million for ward projects and Sh100 million for construction of ultra-modern County Assembly chambers.

County Assembly Speaker Johnson Osoi challenged sectoral committees to ensure public funds are well utilised.

“Timely implementation of government-funded projects and effective oversight is imperative to make this honuorable House relevant,” said Mr Osoi.

The county has increased bursary and scholarship allocations from Sh80 million to Sh155 million to cater for increasing number of needy learners in secondary schools and higher institutions of learning.

The County Assembly Budget and Appropriation Committee report tabled by its chairman Henry Kimiti for the first time allocated Sh7 million to promote entrepreneurship among the youth and women for the Ushanga Programme.

“The Constitution of Kenya, 2010, underscores gender inclusion as a key principle of governance. To realise the principle of gender inclusion, the government has allocated Sh7 million for Ushanga Programme, Youth and Women Development Fund and is committed to continuously empower women through training on entrepreneurial skills,” said Mr Kimiti.

And to boost small- and micro-enterprises, Sh30 million has been allocated to construct Kware market and Sh10 million for Oloolua market all in Kajiado North while Sh40 million has been allocated for both Kitengela market in Kajiado East and Ilasit market in Kajiado South. 

The committee chairman lauded the finance department for putting in place measures that have seen the county surpass the Sh1 billion revenue mark for the first time since the inception of devolution.

The county has been able to improve its revenue collection from Sh560 million in the previous financial year to Sh1.2 billion in the ending 2018/2019 financial year.

On health, the county has set aside Sh205 million aimed at equipping facilities and for adequate medical supplies.

Nkaimurunya MCA James Waichanguru and his Kitengela counterpart Paul Matuiyia thanked the Budget committee for ensuring issues of education, especially scholarships and bursaries, were given priority.

“Education as well as industrial skills training is key to our people,” said Mr Matuiyia.

In order to address the perennial water shortage, the county will spend Sh116 million on sinking boreholes among other projects in the sector.

The county will also acquire brick making equipment at Sh10 million as part of measures to improve quality of rural housing.