School feeding program, infrastructure upgrade dominate Sakaja’s Sh40 billion budget
Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja has proposed a Sh40 billion budget for the 2023/2024 financial year, the highest ever since the advent of devolution.
And Members of the County Assembly (MCA) have until June 30, 2023, to pass it.
On June 27, 2023, the Chairman of the County Finance, Budget and Appropriations Committee, Mr Wilfred Oluoch Odalo, presented the Budget and Appropriations to scrutinise the county’s revenue and expenditure estimates.
With June 28, 2023 declared a public holiday, the County Assembly is expected to meet the following day to discuss and approve it.
The County Executive Member for Finance (CEC) Mr Charles Kerich will read the budget estimates to the House.
MCAs, therefore, have one day to discuss the budget and later have the CEC take them through how the county has budgeted to spend Sh40 billion in the next financial year.
The budget will also allow the governor to complete the construction of kitchens for the school feeding program in line with his manifesto, after being allocated Sh1 billion for the feeding programme.
The programme was recently launched by the county boss alongside President William Ruto.
It will entail the feeding of all school going children in a bid to encourage them to remain in school.
The programme has however been challenged in court by an education lobby group that claims it may not be all inclusive.
Budget proposals
In the budget proposal, the office of the governor has been allocated Sh300 million out of which Sh94 million will be spent on compensation to employees. A significant amount has also been allocated to board meetings, committees, conferences and seminars.
Besides, the county is expected to spend significantly on healthcare and refurbishing or constructing roads and other infrastructure such as stadiums.
Also, the office of the governor will spend Sh2.5 million on accommodation allowances and Sh700, 000 on legal fees.
The County Executive has been allocated Sh252 million in the next financial year, where Sh509, 756 will be spent on travel costs, and Sh1.2 million on domestic travels.
The county Disaster and Management Coordination has been allocated Sh483, 059,224, where Sh6.8 million will be spent on sanitary and cleaning materials, supplies and services, and Sh4 million on accommodation allowance.
The county has allocated Sh1 billion for solid waste management.
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