Expenditure slashed in new Supplementary Budget II Estimates as the Fight against Covid-19 is Stepped up
From kirinyaga.go.ke
The recurrent expenditure of various Departments of the Kirinyaga County Executive has been slashed by Ksh20million in revised Supplementary Budget Estimates tabled in the County Assembly. The money will be channeled towards the fight against Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
The budget cuts will see the recurrent expenditure of the County Executive reduce from Ksh541million to Ksh525 while the Department of Youth and Sports will forfeit Ksh4.1 million reducing their expenditure to Ksh34.6million in the current 2019/20 Financial Year. Further, the Department of Trade recurrent budget will be slashed by Ksh2.4million and will have to utilize Ksh49.7 for the day to day running of the docket.
The proposals tabled in the Assembly by Hon. Lillian Gitari on behalf of the Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. James Kamau Murango, once approved will see the Transport docket loose Ksh0.1million. The Assembly had earlier set aside Ksh4million in the first Supplementary Budget but Baragwi MCA, Hon. David Mathenge in a Motion requested a further Ksh20million be allocated to the Department of Health to step up the fight against Covid-19.
While moving the Motion, noted that the Ksh4million earlier set aside could not be enough to cater for the enormous resources required to fight Covid-19.
The Assembly however will require the County Executive Committee member for Medical Services, Public Health and Sanitation to come up with an expenditure plan of the Ksh20million kitty which will be approved by the Assembly. The County Budget and Appropriations Committee will look into the Supplementary Estimates tabled before writing a report on the expected changes on the Estimates for adoption on the floor of the Assembly.
The Committee will further draft a Supplementary Appropriation Bill which will eventually empower the CEC member for Finance to utilize the diverted funds once the law is passed and assented to by the Governor. The Assembly has also formed the Covid-19 Ad-Hoc Committee whose members include, Hon. John Baptist Kanga (Wamumu), Hon. Peter Njomo (Mutithi), Hon. Samuel Maina (Nyangati), Hon. Johnson Munene (Kiini), Hon. Mathew Ireri Erastus (Ngariama) and Specially Elected Members Hon. Lucy Njeri, Hon. Caroline Muriithi, Hon. Rose Njeru and Hon Scolastica Nyawira.
The Committee will monitor and report to the Assembly all the activities the County Government is implementing as well as ensure funds set aside for this pandemic are utilized well.
