Photo:Communication Unit
Makueni County Assembly has passed a Supplementary Appropriation Bill that seeks to allow the County Government to spend a supplementary budget of Sh2.4B.
The Sh2.4B is a balance of the funds that the county was allocated in 2014/2015 financial year budget and was not utilized. Out of the total, Sh2.1B has been allocated for development while approximately Sh336M will be used for recurrent expenditure.
The Department of Water, Irrigation and Environment received the highest allocation of Sh588M. The department has embarked on an ambitious water harvesting program that is aimed at cushioning residents against the perennial water problems and this could perhaps explain the allocation. The department also received the second largest share of the 2015/2016 budget of a whooping Sh791M.
The Department of Health Services, which received the highest allocation in 2015/2016 budget of close to Sh2B, received the second largest share of the supplementary budget of Sh265M followed by the Department of Transport and Infrastructure with an allocation of Sh250M.
Other departments that received significant allocations in the supplementary budget include the Department of Agriculture and Livestock with an allocation of Sh230M and the Department of Gender, Youth and Social Services, which received Sh222M.
The Department of Finance, Devolution and Information, Communication and Technology and the County Assembly are among some of the departments that received the least allocation with each receiving an allocation of Sh13M, Sh17M, Sh32M and Sh39M respectively.
Chair Budget and Appropriations Committee Francis Mutuku while addressing journalists after the bill was passed expressed his confidence that the County Executive will implement both the supplementary and the 2015/2016 budget for the benefit of the residents.
Mutuku also appealed for patience and support from the residents saying that the County Government has now embarked on development.
Mutuku’s sentiments were also echoed by Mavindini MCA Martin Mutuku who said that the onus now lies on the County Executive to implement the budgets.
The passing of the bill comes barely a month after the 2015/2016 budget of sh6.3B was approved. If the budgets are fully implemented then the residents of Makueni will have a reason to smile as the two budgets can have a great impact in terms of development
Meanwhile, the County Assembly has gone for recess and will resume of September 8.
