KISUMU, Kenya, Sep 13 – The Kisumu County Assembly Thursday evening adopted a revised Sh11.7 billion 2019/20 budget after approving recommendations made by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o on an earlier version of Sh10.3 billion passed by the Assembly on August 23.
Nominated MCA Aslam Khan who is the Budget Committee Vice Chairperson tabled the document at a session chaired by Acting Assembly Speaker Elisha Oraro who was endorsed on Tuesday following a controversial decision to oust embattled County Speaker Onyango Oloo who is facing a graft case.
The Assembly allocated Sh3.4 billion f0r development with Sh1.4 billion being channeled directly for ward development.
While rural wards were allocated Sh40 million each, urban wards will each have Sh30 million development budget. There are a total of 35 wards in the county.
“Mr Speaker Sir, each ward has been given its share to spur development in the wards,” Khan explained.
Under flagship projects, a total of Sh2 billion has been allocated.
Khan said the funds will be used by the Governor to undertake some of the projects he promised county residents.
The Assembly was allocated Sh90 million out of which Sh15 million will be used to renovate the Assembly Buildings. Another Sh50 million has been budgeted for the construction of a modern Assembly Building.
Ousted Assembly Speaker Onyango Oloo had insisted on a Sh230 million allocation for the commencement of works on the proposed modern Assembly in the Sh10.3 billion budget passed on August 23.
The Governor Nyong’o-led administration has allocated Sh205 million for education.
READ: Kisumu MCAs adopt Sh10bn 2019/20 budget, Sh4bn set aside for salaries
Khan told the House that Sh140 million will go towards bursaries in the wards with each ward allocated Sh4 million each.
He said the Governor’s Scholarship Programme has been allocated Sh65 million.
“The Governor will every year select needy but brighter students to sponsor their education, this is totally different from the ward bursary,” Khan told the House.
The adoption of the revised 2019/20 financial year budget on Thursday is attributed to the ouster of Speaker Oloo who was charged with graft-related offences on Monday.
READ: Kisumu MCAs eject colleagues allied to Speaker Oloo as sitting convened to install new Speaker
Oloo had insisted the Assembly would not allow the variation of the Sh10.3 billion budget passed on August 23.
The embattled Speaker is increasingly becoming isolated after MCAs deemed loyal to Oloo declared the support for the revised budget.
Over 20 MCAs who boycotted a session chaired by the newly elected Assembly Speaker (Acting) on Wednesday, turned up to congratulate Oraro on his election on Thursday.
They called upon him to unify the Assembly and put the interest of the MCAs first.