Assembly Committee on Finance and Economic Planning engaged the public in collecting views on the Kakamega County Annual Development Plan (ADP) for the Financial Year (FY) 2025/2026 on Tuesday. The day-long forum was marred with an outcry from county residents on delayed and stalled projects launched in previous financial years while the county government was planning to launch new projects with health sector being adversely mentioned.

The Hon. Bonface Osanga-led Committee found it tough to explain and convince the public as to why some previously budgeted key projects in various departments were yet to be completed and others had stalled. Speaking at the forum, Hon. Osanga tipped off the county government not to over plan county projects but be guided by the available assets within the county. “I want to caution our county executive,” stated Osanga, “stick to few projects that you can only manage to implement on time……., complete all projects in the current financial year before launching new ones and we want to see Shamakhubu and Iguhu hospitals complete,” added the chairperson. He opined that instead of setting up new hospitals, existing facilities were to be equipped enough drugs and non-pharmaceuticals.

In the year under review, the ADP draft document presented to the public during the public hearing, key projects in the department of Agriculture include; Farm inputs subsidy programme – distribution of fertilizer – is estimated at Kshs. 745 Million, construction of Bukura Training Centre at a cost of Kshs. 30 Million, Dam construction/desilting at 129 Million, Establishing of holding yards at Kshs. 45 Million, Dips renovation, construction and operationalization of Dips at Kshs. 36 Million among others. Bitumen roads under the department of Roads, Public Works and Energy have an estimated allocation of Kshs. 906 Million, Bridges and Box culverts at Kshs. 211 Million, Gravel roads have Kshs. 638 Million while High-mast and rural electrification has Kshs. 106 Million. The department of Health Services has Kshs. 1.226 Billion is meant for Health Infrastructure development, recruitment and deployment of health workers at Kshs. 300 Million, scaling up of maternal and child healthcare services estimated at Kshs. 115 Million and leasing of Ambulances at Kshs. 112 Million as some of key projects. Under the department of Education, Science and Technology, key projects include; Polytechnic tuition subsidy, improvement and development at a cost of Kshs. 1.221 Billion, Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) with an estimation of Kshs. 759.8 Million, County University Education Scholarship at Kshs. 29 Million, County Higher Education Loans Scheme at Kshs. 20 Million and Ward-based Bursary at Kshs. 240 Million among others. Rehabilitation of Rural Water Schemes – last mile connectivity to increase acces; sustainable water service provision has been estimated at Kshs. 250 Million in the department of Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change. Rehabilitation of dilapidated infrastructure; expansion of existing water infrastructure has been allocated Kshs. 300 Million, Drilling and equipping boreholes has an allocation of Kshs. 150 Million while Climate Change, Mitigation and Adaptation is estimated at Kshs. 364.2 Million among other projects. With regards to the department of Social Services, Sports, Youth, Gender and Culture, completion of Bukhungu International Stadium is estimated at Kshs. 700 Million. More so, Construction and Completion of Governor’s and Deputy Governor’s Residences in Lurambi Sub-County have been estimated at Kshs. 10 Million each.

All estimated allocations are meant for both ongoing and new projects. While reacting to the proposals, county residents combated allocation proposals to construct Governor’s and Deputy Governor’s Residences, hiring of Ambulances, completion of Bukhungu International Stadium among others and were of the view that all ongoing and stalled projects be completed before launching new ones while those said to have been taken over by the national government not to be allocated funds and priority be given to the ailing health sector. “A lot of money has allocated on residences yet hospitals have no drugs and non-pharmaceuticals…..value-chain projects are too many compared to the available resource allocations,” lamented the chairperson of Civil Society Network Mr. Gerald Ong’ale. His sentiments were echoed by Mr. Paul Odongo, a trained Budget Practitioner, Government Expert and Community mobilizer who added that there should be well-outlined Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the county and national governments when transferring some of the projects to the latter citing Bukhungu and Kakamega County Level VI Referral Hospital projects as some of the key projects said to have been transferred but still allocated funds.

Ms. Betty Nawire, a member to the Civil Society Network opined that hiring of Ambulances at an estimated cost of Kshs. 112 Million was costly and that the county government should purchase Ambulances instead. In response, Hon. Osanga attributed the delays to lack of commitment from the national government but he was optimistic that the delayed and stalled projects would be completed. He however promised to put into consideration views and proposals made towards the draft document. Earlier on in the week, officers from the county department of Finance and Economic Planning led by the County Executive Committee member (CEC) CPA Livingstone Imbayi held a consultative meeting with the Assembly Committee on Finance and Economic Planning together with chairpersons to the all Sectoral Committees to discuss the County Annual Development Plan (CADP) FY 2025/2026. The Committee is set to engage and interrogate all departments at the county executive before compiling a comprehensive report with consideration of views from the public before tabling it in the House for deliberations and adoption.