Elgeyo/Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos dismisses report on unused money

Ongoing partitioning works at Karson House in Nyeri County. [PHOTO MOSE SAMMY/STANDARD]

By MICHAEL WESONGA

KENYA: Elgeyo/Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos has dismissed the publication of the unused monies allocated to counties as a political gimmick.

Tolgos said claims by the Government that counties were not utilising funds disbursed to them was calculated to wedge a rift between county governments and the electorate.

He said amounts stated in a press advertisement by the National Treasury as underutilised were in fact monies county governments owe the national government in salaries.

“The national government assisted us in offsetting employee salaries for all devolved functions like agriculture, cooperatives and health and are yet to invoice us to effect repayment,” the governor explained.

He revealed that the government offset salaries for employees serving in the county from July to September.

“Almost the entire balance, more than 80 per cent will be swept off the account once we repay the national government upon receiving their invoice, in addition to paying the staff October salaries,” he added.

He observed that county governments like Elgeyo/Marakwet with 100 per cent balance were better off than their counterparts with 50 per cent balance in their account, saying the latter would be in trouble after receiving the invoice of payment made by the national government.

“But as for us, we already did our head count and staff audit for all devolved functions in the county and we are awaiting the wage bill,” he maintained.

Lying idle

Counties in Central and Mt Kenya appear to have not touched a penny of what the government gave them.

Nyeri County has some of the largest unspent funds at 126 per cent. According to the press statement, the county received Sh618million from the Treasury and used Sh164million in the process but still has Sh782 million lying idle at the Central Bank of Kenya.

But the county executive for Finance and Economic Planning Martin Wamwea refuted the figures given by the Treasury. “Treasury has only given our county Sh276 million and another Sh32 million for our level five hospitals. If there are any other monies withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund intended for the County Revenue Fund, they are not in our operational accounts and cannot be called our money,” said Wamwea.