Nakuru County residents will from next year benefit more in terms of development, if the bill proposed by the chairman of security committee in the county’s assembly will be assented into law.
The bill; County Ward Development Fund Bill 2014, has gone through the 1st and 2nd reading, after a successful public participation process as required by the law.
Bahati ward MCA Peter Nderitu Mwangi, proposes that out of the total funding the county receives each Financial Year from the National Government and revenue collected, 30% be set aside for development in the 55 wards.
“The idea here is to set aside money for more development in our wards, and though it somehow resembles CDF, county ward reps will not take care of the kitty. It proposes that the Finance CeC together with the Executive form a committee that will be responsible,” Nderitu said.
According to the bill, each of the 55 wards will also have a special committee that will be mandated to look into the projects that should be prioritized as proposed by the residents.
The ward committee will then forward its finding to the committee at the county headquarter, which according to Nderitu, will not alter the report at all.
“Secretary to the committee formed at the ward level will be the ward administrators. We also expect them to elect the chair and other members,” he added.
Each ward will have an independent bank account. This means that if the county receives 7.5 billion in a certain financial year, the amount set aside for ward developments will not be less than 2.25 billion, with each ward getting about 40 million.
“For now we are in recess until February, 9 2016, when we expect the Finance and Budget committees to table a report before the Assembly, after scrutinising the bill,” Nderitu said.