KISUMU COUNTY ASSEMBLY APPROVES COUNTY BUDGET ESTIMATES FY 2023/2024

KISUMU COUNTY ASSEMBLY APPROVES COUNTY BUDGET ESTIMATES FY 2023/2024

Kisumu County Assembly has approved the County Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2023/2024.

The House, during a special sitting today Friday 30th June, 2023 adopted the Budget and Appropriations Committee report on the proposed budget estimates and the Kisumu County Appropriations Bill 2023 tabled and moved by the Committee Chairperson and Kondele Ward Representative Hon. Joachim Oketch.

In the approved budget estimates, the resource envelop available for allocation among the county sectors comprises of an opening balance of Kshs. 1,200,625 819; equitable share of the national revenue amounting to KES. 8,352,556,635; Conditional Grants amounting to KES. 866,176,577 and Own Source Revenue projected at KES. 1,785,834,036.

In the Kshs. 12,338,710,363 budget, Ksh. 4,432,549,165 has been allocated for development expenditure and Ksh. 7,906,161,198 for recurrent expenditure.

Additionally, Ksh1 billion has been allocated towards pending bills.

The budget focuses on revitalization of agriculture for food security and agribusiness; ensuring a healthy population living in a clean environment; environmental conservation as well as opening the Kisumu lakefront for business opportunities among other development programmes.

It also concentrates on promoting development of local private sector and spur economic growth by prioritizing clearing the burden of the pending bills.
In agriculture, the County Government has prioritized crop, livestock and fisheries productivity and outputs and promotion of agribusiness; promotion of value addition and post- harvest handling infrastructure development.

In health, operationalization of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital Cancer Center to avail the much needed oncology services to the people of Kisumu County and expansion of Kisumu County Social Health Insurance Schemes for indigents and the vulnerable populations.

Moreover, the implementation of the County Roads Maintenance Teams is provided for in this budget as the government shifts focus to labor- intensive maintenance of roads away from the contractor- based maintenance activities.

In the department of Water, Environment and Natural Resources plans to construct waste re-cycling plant at Kasese and rehabilitation and extension of water to various areas.

Addressing the press shortly after approval of the budget estimates, Speaker Hon. Elisha Oraro urged the County leadership to ensure implementation of all programmes as outlined in the Budget for the benefit of the people of Kisumu.

At the same time, he urged Hon. Members of the County Assembly through House Sectoral Committees to step up their oversight role to ensure proper accountability and enhanced service delivery.