Sonko’s office gets Sh4.5bn but only Sh13m for water

Nairobi MCAs have passed the county’s 2018/2019 Budget estimates despite an earlier call for it to be slashed by Sh2 billion.

The reading of the estimates, which was scheduled for Thursday last week, was postponed to this week after members of the Budget committee gave the Finance Executive Charles Kerich, more time to realign the figures which members felt were not realistic.

The committee wanted the Budget to be pegged at Sh32 billion, arguing that the local revenue raised by the county was only Sh8.2 billion, against a target of Sh17 billion.

LOCAL REVENUE

According to the MCAs, this made local revenue collection projections unrealistic and unachievable.

But on Wednesday evening, the MCAs approved the Sh34.2 billion budget which was tabled by the committee’s chairperson Mr Robert Mbatia.

The move came just two days to the deadline for county assemblies to submit their budget estimates to the exchequer.

Under the current budget, recurrent expenditure will get the lion’s share at Sh23.3 billion while Sh10.8 billion has been set aside for development, representing 32 per cent of the over-all budget.

Interestingly, despite the perennial water problems in the capital, the county allocated only Sh13 million for water resources management while liquor licensing and regulation was given Sh204 million.

HEALTH

The Public Health department will get the largest share at Sh6.3 billion or 27 per cent of the allocation.

Out of the total amount, only Sh118 million will go towards prevention and promotion of health services and Sh533 million for curative care while Sh5.7 billion has been allocated for general administration, planning and support services.

This is followed by the Governor’s office which has been allocated Sh4.5 billion, which is 20 per cent of the recurrent allocation.

Only Sh1.97 billion has been allocated for security and safety management, but Sh2.4 billion has been set aside for general administrative services and a further Sh196 million for management of legal affairs.

Meanwhile, Finance and Economic Planning Sector has been allocated Sh2.1 billion to undertake debt repayments, manage procurement, audit as well as fiscal reforms.

EMERGENCY FUND

An Emergency Fund for mitigation of natural calamities and disasters was given Sh80 million.
On the development side, Public Works and Infrastructure got the biggest share -- Sh4.95 billion -- which is about 46 per cent of the total development expenditure budget.

Environment was given Sh1.1 billion, making it the only other sector with an allocation passing the Sh1 billion mark.

“To achieve the budget objectives, the county government has undertaken to continue spending in infrastructure and improve the business environment,” said Mr Mbatia.

Education services got Sh90 million, social services Sh439 million, trade development and market services Sh26.6 million and tourism promotion and marketing received Sh14.6 million.

MCAs also got a reward for what they have been fighting for as Ward Development Projects were allocated Sh1.2 billion, which will cater for development projects in the 85 wards in Nairobi County.