While reading the 2019/20 Budget on Tuesday afternoon, Finance executive Charles Kerich said the county shall purpose to instill prudent application of public resources for optimal returns/FILE-COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 26 – Nairobi County will now conduct all its procurement processes through the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMIS) in a bid to stem graft.
This is in line with the county’s resolve to regulate expenditure and improve cost management measures that will help it save resources for development.
While reading the 2019/20 Budget on Tuesday afternoon, Finance executive Charles Kerich said the county shall purpose to instill prudent application of public resources for optimal returns.
The county assembly is expected to pass the Budget Estimates and the Appropriation Bill for the 2019/20 financial year.
“The reforms initiated in procurement over the last financial year shall be enhanced and non-priority expenditure minimized to make more resources available for key service delivery,” Kerich said.
Governor Mike Sonko has already cautioned his administrators against practices that will make Nairobi lose funds.
In a stern warning, the Governor said no one involved on graft will be spared.
“By now everyone knows that I don’t fear losing friends in the fight against corruption. If found, you will go,” said Sonko.
He warned service providers at the county to work diligently and with great efficiency.
“Anyone who wins a tender from the county has been prioritized by Nairobi people for a reason. You must work with a lot of vigour and seriousness,” he said.
In the new changes, the procurement department will be restructured to fully operate under the finance department for easy coordination.
The new executive move has been endorsed by the Chairman of the Nairobi County Assembly Finance, Budget and Appropriation Committee Robert Mbatia, who observed that it will help in taming graft hence regulating expenditure.
“Once the Finance Bill is passed, the changes will help a great deal and it’s the restructuring of the procurement department that stands out to be key,” Mbatia said.
The county will be keen on achieving the set Sh17.32 billion revenue projections from internal sources.
According to Kerich, the County Treasury is of the view that below par outcomes are attributed to overreliance on automation without a corresponding effort in innovation.
Kerich singled out the procurement and revenue departments as key in helping the county attain its development target.
It is expected that the new measures will also weed out rogue contractors and avoid any cases of paying ‘air suppliers’ as it has been the case with past regimes at City Hall.
The county is also awaiting the passing of several legislations by the assembly, aimed at streamlining its revenue streams.
One of the legislation is the Property Rates Act, which, according to Kerich, will provide basis for update of the valuation roll which is ready for implementation from July 1 this year.
The valuation roll outlines the new rates that will have been revised downward, hence high revenue flow for the county.
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