Embu County Assembly passes Ksh.7.3 billion budget

The County Assembly of Embu has passed the Ksh.7.31 billion budget where 69pc will go to recurrent expenditure and 31pc to development project.

The Chair Budget and Appropriations Committee Chair Johnson Mucangi said the house has approved Ksh.498 million for the health department and will be distributed to all facilities in the county for improvement.

Mucangi who is also the Kagaari North MCA observed that the Assembly has also empowered health facilities to use own generated revenues saying this will end the operational challenges whey they have to wait for revenue allocation.

He said the aim is to bridge the gap and allow the facilities to be able to employ casual workers on their own if need be and that the facility committees are tasked with the management.

The house also approved Ksh.120 milion for roads improvement to butimen standards which translates to 5kms of tamac across the county.

In addition to Ksh.211milion from the National Government the Assembly allocated Ksh.100 million for murraming of roads across the 20 wards.

Other allocations in the budget include: Ksh.105 million for education bursaries, 25 million to VTCs and Ksh.18 million to operationalize a water drilling rig purchased from the last budget at a cost of 72 million shillings.

Mucangi said that the county has not changed the finance bill 2023/2024 but has increased own revenue target from Ksh.750 million to one billion.

“Through the employment of new enforcement officers and transition from manual to digital revenue collection the county surpassed its target and we hope to collect more and have allocated 20 million equalization fund to all the 20 wards,” Mucangi said.

He said the house also reduced office expenditure and was reallocated to projects where 10 new markets will be constructed while allocating more funds to the Youth and Gender Department through Embu youth service policy to engage more youths.

Majority Murithi Kobole observed that the 2024/25 is mwananchi oriented saying the health and other services that will benefit the locals has been considered.

Muminji MCA Newton Karish while contributing to the Motion differed with the President on cutting the county revenue allocation saying it comes from a formula.

He also called on the County Government to prudently use the conditional grants adding that the county should also allocate more funds to sort the pending bills.

Kiambere MCA Lenny Master noted that there were wastage conditional grants, calling for its prudent use to benefit the residents.

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