Kisumu County ordered to revise car grants, ward bursaries

By Rushdie Oudia

Kisumu,Kenya: The Controller of Budget has ordered Kisumu County Assembly to revise its car grants and ward bursaries that led to huge deficits in the 2013-2014 budget.

Through a letter tabled in the Assembly, the Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo asked the members to revise the Sh250 million allocated for car grants and Sh100 million for ward bursaries.

Kisumu was among 25 counties facing huge deficits in their budgets in the current financial year of up to Sh2.2 million.

The Speaker, Ms Anne Adul said it was important that the Assembly conforms with the requirements given. Ms Adul said they ought to seek authority from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to approve some of the allocations. “For bursaries I’m not sure if we can go beyond existing provisions in law,” she said. The Speaker later ruled that it should be presented to the Budget and Appropriations Committee for further deliberations.

Cover Deficits

“The committee should revise the budget following the guidelines in the letter,” said Adul.

Last month, Governor Jack Ranguma had indicated that Kisumu County would come up with a supplementary budget to cover the deficits in their budgets.

Ranguma had shifted part of the blame for high deficits to the County Assembly and especially raised concern over allocations for car grants.

Kisumu Senator Anyang Nyong’o who addressed the Assembly said the car grants and ward bursaries could be pursued with the Commission for Revenue Allocation.