In December 2021, the Office of Controller of budget released the latest edition of the budget implementation report. This is the first quarter of 2021/2022. In this article I will take a look into how the 47 counties spent the public funds and then narrow down into Kisii and Nyamira counties.
In summary, for the year under review the 47 counties had a total budget of Ksh. 505 billion. To finance the budget, the county governments are expected to receive Ksh. 370 billion as equitable share of revenue raised nationally, Ksh. 56 billion from own sources of revenue and Ksh. 36 billion as cash balances from the previous financial year.
The county executives received Ksh. 57 billion from the national treasury while all the county assemblies received Ksh. 5.7 billion during the period under review.
During the first quarter of 2021/2022, the top 3 counties with the highest expenditure in absolute terms were Nairobi City (Ksh. 2.5 billion), Kiambu (Ksh. 2.5 billion) and Kitui (Ksh. 2.29 billion).
During the first quarter a total of Ksh. 38 billion was spent on payment of salaries, wages and other benefits known as personnel emoluments in technical terms. Further, a total of Ksh. 11 billion was spent on operations and maintenance while Ksh. 3.5 billion only was development expenditure. The development expenditure represents 1.9 percent of the annual development budget. This is an increase from Ksh. 2.3 billion the previous financial year.
A total of 22 counties did not spend even a penny on development. These are Bungoma, Baringo, Kilifi, Busia, Homa Bay, Isiolo, Kericho, Kajiado, Machakos, Kisumu, Mombasa, Marsabit, Narok, Nakuru, Nairobi City, Siaya, Nyandarua, Trans Nzoia, Migori, Taita Taveta, Wajir and Vihiga.
During the period under review, a total of Ksh. 433 million was spent on sitting allowances for Members of County Assemblies across Kenya. This was an increase by 13.7 percent in a similar period in 2019/2020 when Ksh. 376 million was spent.
County Government of Kisii
In FY 2021/2022, the county government of Kisii has an approved budget of Ksh. 12.59 billion out of which Ksh. 4 billion was allocated towards development and Ksh. 8.5 billion was allocated for recurrent programmes.
Kisii County hopes to generate Ksh. 700 million from local sources of revenue. That is 6 percent of the total budget for the year.
During the first quarter of the FY 2021/2022, Kisii County received Ksh. 1.47 billion as equitable share of revenue raised nationally. The county raised Ksh. 66 million from local sources of revenue.
The Office of Controller of budget reports that Kisii County spent Ksh. 1.6 billion on development and recurrent programmes during the first quarter of the Financial Year 2021/2022. Kisii County’s outstanding pending bills was Ksh. 688 million as at 30th June 2021. The county government had plans to settle all these bills in the financial year and as part of that plan the county paid Ksh. 128.8 million to clear some of the outstanding bills.
During the first quarter Kisii county spent Ksh. 111 million on domestic travel and Ksh. 61 million on medical drugs.
On development expenditure, Kisii County spent Sh. 8 million on Gusii Stadium, Ksh. 4.9 million on cabro parking of Marani Level 4 Hospital, constructed a borehole at Gusii Stadium at a cost of Ksh. 3.9 million.
Kisii county just like many other counties under-performed in collection of own source of revenue, they achieved only 9.5 percent of the annual target by collecting Ksh. 66 million out of Ksh. 700 million.
The Office of Controller of budget also observes that the high expenditure on domestic travel, Ksh. 111 million, was unexpected die to travel restrictions as a result of Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. Therefore, this expenditure is questionable.
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