Kilifi own-source revenue jumps by 25 pc as county strengthens reforms

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro when he appeared before the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee at Bunge Tower, Nairobi on March 10, 2025 over audit queries. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Kilifi County’s Own Source Revenue (OSR) grew by Sh300 million in the last financial year, marking a 25.2 per cent increase from 2023/2024.

Delivering his State of the County Address, Governor Gideon Mung’aro said OSR has risen steadily since he took office, growing from Sh1 billion in 2023/2024 to Sh1.209 billion and then to Sh1.513 billion in 2024/2025—reflecting growth rates of 20.4 per cent and 25.2 per cent, respectively.

The county is targeting Sh1.875 billion this year, representing a projected 24 per cent rise. Mung’aro said the administration is working to seal all revenue leakages and will install security cameras at all revenue collection points.

The health sector posted major gains, with revenue jumping from under Sh100 million to more than Sh550 million, a change attributed to digitisation and automation of hospital systems.

Mung’aro said the county had renovated 21 health facilities, opened new dispensaries, promoted 957 health workers and hired 191 new staff. He also highlighted progress in the fight against HIV, noting that prevalence had declined from 3.5 per cent in 2022 to 2.5 per cent in 2024, with 94 per cent of patients now on ARVs.

Despite frequent public complaints about water shortages, drug stock-outs and poor roads, the governor painted a picture of a county on the rise. He said water coverage had improved from 65 per cent in 2022 to 69 per cent in 2025, supported by 744 kilometres of pipeline, 49 boreholes and 12 water pans. However, he acknowledged that supply remains constrained as main sources cannot meet rising demand.

On housing, Mung’aro said 1,200 affordable units are under construction, with 400 already completed and occupied, aligning the county with the national housing agenda.

The governor reported major strides in education, including 2,122 students benefiting from full scholarships to national schools. The school feeding programme has also fuelled enrolment growth—from 46,938 learners in 2023/2024 to 57,802 in 2025.

Kilifi has also invested heavily in early childhood education, training 1,100 ECDE teachers and equipping 406 centres with digital devices. Vocational training centres have been expanded, graduating more than 2,900 trainees in 2024, with new ICT labs established under the KEMFSED programme.

In tourism and trade, the county now hosts 32 fully developed markets. The 2024 Kilifi Investment Conference unlocked more than $1.1 billion in capital flows. The county showcased itself at nine major tourism fairs, hosted cultural events such as the Mekatilili wa Menza Festival, and welcomed international gatherings including the Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Conference and the Essence of Africa Conference in Malindi.