County Assembly Approves Appropriation Bill, 2020
From kirinyaga.go.ke
Ward based projects and the fight against Covid-19 pandemic are the biggest beneficiaries of fresh re-allocation of funds following today’s approval of the Kirinyaga County Appropriation Bill, 2020 by the Assembly.
The Bill sailed through the Third Reading and now awaits assent by the Governor which will see development projects in the 20 electoral wards receive Ksh300million to be utilized before the current financial year ends on 30th June 2020. Further, a Ksh20million has been set aside to step up measures against the spread of Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) and the funds is expected to be channeled to purchase protective gears, sanitizers and masks.
While tabling a Report of the County Budget and Appropriations Committee on the Supplementary Budget Estimates, the Chairperson Hon. David Mathenge noted the County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Finance will have to come up with itemized projects and programmes to spend the approved funds.
“This Supplementary Budget 2 has been occasioned by the resolution which was passed by this assembly on 1st April 2020 that other than the allocation of Ksh4 million for emergency services in the recently enacted Supplementary Budget 1, the CEC member for Finance to submit the financial expenditure plans not exceeding twenty million shillings for the Assembly’s consideration and approval thereof” reads part of the Report.
The Kerugoya Hospital complex was the major casualty of budget cuts after the construction budget in the current financial year was cut by Ksh100million to Ksh222 million while the Transport Department lost Ksh30.2million which will now be re-allocated to ward based projects whose allocation has now gone up to Ksh140million.
There is Ksh160million for ward based projects that was unspent in the 2018/19 financial year and is expected to be utilized alongside the Ksh140million set aside in the current financial year budget.
“In essence we have not removed entirely the allocation of fuel for equipment to build our roads but what we have done is to re-allocate the funds to the ward based projects which include construction of roads” — Hon. Mathenge.
In a sitting chaired by the Speaker Hon. Anthony Gathumbi, the Members unanimously backed the Budget Committee recommendations which require the CEC member for finance to itemize budget for all the development projects in the 20 wards.
The CEC for Medical Services will also be required to submit a report to the Assembly on the utilization of the Covid-19 funds two weeks after the closure on the financial year on 30th June 2020.
In today’s sitting, MCA for Inoi Ward Hon. Andrew Gitari also sought a statement on why maternity beds were removed from Kangaita Health Centre and taken to Kerugoya Referral Hospital for the Covid-19 isolation ward. Hon. Gitari wants to know plans in place to return the beds.
He further sought another statement on the compensation time lines of individuals who surrendered land for construction of access roads to Ngurue-ini and Kiamuruga Dispensaries.
