For the financial year under review, Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo says Nairobi County was allocated a total of Sh32.31 billion which comprises Sh21.47 billion that caters for recurrent expenditure and Sh10.84 billion assigned to development expenditure/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 8 – The Nairobi County Government revenue has gone up in the first quarter of the financial year 2018/2019 to the tune of Sh3.88 billion according to the latest report from the office of the Controller of Budget.
The rise in revenue for the period from July to December 2018 has been attributed from own source revenue streams, with the amount reflecting an increase of 19.9 per cent compared to Sh3.11 billion realised during the same period of the financial year 2017/18 and representing 25.5 per cent of the annual target.
For the financial year under review, Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo says Nairobi County was allocated a total of Sh32.31 billion which comprises Sh21.47 billion that caters for recurrent expenditure and Sh10.84 billion assigned to development expenditure.
The trend, according to Odhiambo, is a departure from the previous regime of Governor Evans Kidero where the collection of revenue was characterized by enormous challenges where there were significant number of leaks that led to the collection of insufficient funds.
Despite the rise in revenue collection, the county is on the spot for spending Sh62.45 million on Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) sitting allowances for the 128 members against the annual budget allocation of Sh66.56 million.
The figure has been flagged to be an increase of 251.3 per cent compared to Sh17.46 million spent in a similar period for the financial year 2017/2018.
The discrepancies captured by Odhiambo in the MCAs allowances therefore means that the county will be forced to seek for more funds that will go to cater for the MCA’s allowances between January to June 30 when the financial year ends.
Of concern to Odhiambo was also the Sh157.35 million spent on domestic travel with Sh19.02 million spent by the County Assembly and Sh138.33 million spent by the County Executive.
The county has further been faulted for not providing a report on the developmental project the county has undertaken this despite the fact that already Sh1.42 billion has already been used out of the Sh10.84 billion monies set aside for the development expenditure.
Odhiambo has cited lack of geographical locations of some of the projects claimed to have been done by the county as a serious challenge hampering the effective budget implementation.
The ballooning wage bill has also been cited as an impediment to the progress of the county with Odhiambo advising the County Public Service Board to establish an optimal staffing structure in order to manage the wage bill.
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