By County Assembly Communications Team
The County Assembly of Bungoma has approved the annual budget for the financial year 2024/2025. According to the approved Annual Appropriations Bill, the County will allocate a total of Kshs. 15.2 billion for its operations beginning July 1st, 2024. Of this amount, Kshs. 10.3 billion is designated for recurrent expenditure, while Kshs. 4.8 billion is earmarked for development. These allocations represent 68% for recurrent expenses and 32% for development.
The County will receive an equitable share of Kshs. 11.2 billion from the national government, reflecting an increase of Kshs. 167 million from the current year’s allocation.
Additionally, the County will receive conditional grants from the National Government totaling Kshs. 487 million and an additional Kshs. 1.2 billion from development partners. These donor grants will support various initiatives, including the Health Department, the Urban Support Programme (Kshs. 35 million), the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Project (Kshs. 297 million), the Finance of Locally Led Climate Action Program (FLLOCA) – Water (Kshs. 11 million), a climate change grant (Kshs. 153 million), and a KOICA grant (Kshs. 500 million).
The County aims to raise Kshs. 1 billion through Appropriations in Aid, reflecting a decrease of Kshs. 88.4 million from the previous financial year’s projections. Additionally, the County has set an ambitious target of raising Kshs. 1.1 billion in local revenue, marking a growth of Kshs. 325 million.
Notable allocations include:
• Department of Health: Kshs. 4.4 billion
• Department of Finance and Economic Planning: Kshs. 1.2 billion
• Education and Vocational Training: Kshs. 1.6 billion
• Office of the Governor: Kshs. 723 million
• Public Administration: Kshs. 594 million
• County Assembly: Kshs. 1.3 billion
These departments will primarily use a significant portion of their budgets for recurrent expenses.
Most development activities will be undertaken by the Departments of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperative Development, with a total development allocation of Kshs. 677 million.
The Department of Roads and Public Works has an allocation of Kshs. 1.3 billion, of which Kshs. 1.2 billion is set aside for development. The Department of Water and Natural Resources also has a substantial allocation of Kshs. 680 million for development projects.
The notable amendments were as follows:
1. Kshs. 59,500,000 to be moved from Roads and Public Works Department Development expenditure.
2. Kshs.10,000,000 to be added to Ward based projects in the department of Roads and Public Works Department and Kshs.20,000,000 to be added to Ward based projects (3110599) in the Department of Water.
3. Kshs. 25,000,000 to be added to Garbage collection in the department of Tourism and Environment.
4. Kshs. 10,000,000 to be added to Construction of tea factory in Departments of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperative Development
5. Under the department of Education and Vocational Training Kshs.225, 000, 000 for bursaries and scholarships to be moved from development expenditure to recurrent expenditure.
6. Under the department of Trade and Industrialization Kshs. 10 Million was added to the construction of Kipsigon Market, Kshs. 10 Million to be added to Maintenance of Street lights and Kshs. 70 Million to be added to construction of Kamukuywa market.
Having successfully gone through the entire process, the budget will now be transmitted to the Governor for assent before being gazetted for subsequent implementation at the start of the new financial year.
ENDs.
