NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 15 – Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Thursday declined to assent to the Nairobi City County Appropriation Bill, 2020, citing a budget deficit.
The Sh31.6 billion 2020/21 budget was passed on Tuesday, October 6 by the Nairobi County Assembly but the Governor cited a Sh5.8 billion deficit, given the projected expenditure 37.5 billion.
The Governor accused the County Assembly of illegal amendments to the budget saying proposed cuts on key budget votes have the potential of paralyzing county operations.
“I refuse to assent to the Nairobi City County Appropriation Bill, 2020 and refer it back to the Nairobi County Assembly for consideration,” Sonko stated.
The Governor also lamented the allocation of entire budget lines for functions transferred to to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) to the agency domiciled in the Office of the President.
Sonko insisted that the payment of all county staff, including those seconded to NMS, is the responsibility of the Nairobi County Government and as such monies for human resource management should be administered under the County Treasury.
NMS was allocated the lion’s share under the proposed budget totaling Sh27.1 billion while Nairobi County Government got an allocation of Sh6.4 billion.
Also in contest is the placement of allocation of the Ward Development Fund under the NMS, with the Governor faulting the move as contravention of Ward Development Fund Act, 2014.
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