Machakos County Assembly has unveiled a Sh12.05 billion budget for the 2021/2022 financial year. Speaking while presenting the budget estimates to the Assembly, Machakos Deputy Governor Eng. Francis W. Maliti said the county is targeting to collect Sh1.5 billion in revenue.
Eng. Maliti said this year’s fiscal framework has been revised to take into account the adverse impact of the covid-19 pandemic on revenue performance. The budget estimates comprises Sh 8.28billion as recurrent expenditure while development expenditure was estimated at Sh 3.77billion. Last year, the county budget estimates were projected at Sh 11.01billion.
“In this respect, the 2021/2022 budget targets Own Source Revenue collection of Sh1.5 billion as compared to Sh1.7 billion in the financial year 2020/2021. Other revenues include Sh9.16 billion equitable share and Sh1.39 billion conditional grants,” Eng. Maliti read part of the Budget statement.
Stabilize the economy
Spending priorities for these Budget Estimates have been informed by the efforts being made by the National and County government to stabilize the economy in a concerted effort to alleviate service delivery and contribute immensely towards improving the lives of our citizenry.
“I am happy to inform this honorable house that the County has fully adopted the Big Four Agenda especially in areas of enhancing food and nutrition security, achieving universal healthcare and job creation. To consolidate these achievements, I have allocated Sh4.3 billion to the health sector which includes Sh132.2 million for construction and completion of health facilities, Sh34.5 million for equipping of health facilities, Sh8.1 million to cater for emergency services and Sh355.6 million for medical supplies,” said the deputy governor.
The transport sector will receive Sh1.1 billion, which will comprise of Sh170 million for major roads, Sh362 million for grading of rural access roads, Sh102 million for airstrip and Sh175 million for the completion of government building.
Relevant programmes
Sh 400million has been set aside for relevant programmes, out of which Sh28 million has been proposed for the Emergency Locusts Response, Sh30.9 million for the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme II (ASDSP II) and Sh9 million for crop diversification.
To increase agricultural productivity and enhance resilience to climate change risks in targeted smallholder farming, Sh354 million has been set aside for Climate Smart Agriculture in the County,” he added. Sh9.5million on the other hand was proposed for livestock production and control diseases where Sh2.6 million has been set aside for purchase of vaccines for free mass vaccination while the Information, Communication and Technology Sector receives Sh6 million.
“In keeping with the Bill of Rights which states that water is a basic right, I have allocated Sh84.8 million for drilling, equipping and completion of boreholes, Sh50.6 million for water storage and supplies while Sh65.4 million is for construction of dams and water pans,” said Mr. Maliti.
To continue investing in youths, the budget estimates propose an allocation of Sh50 million for the rehabilitation of Vocational Training Centers and Sh48 million for Early Childhood Development Education infrastructure. The budget estimates propose Sh80 million for bursary fund and establishment of a revolving fund Sh40 million for women and persons living with disability while Sh75 million has been allocated in order to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
