Ken Lusaka, the Senate assembly speaker. [Photo/zipo.co.ke]
Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka has expressed his regret over the delayed disbursement of funds to county governments.
Counties are yet to receive allocations for the 2017/2018 financial year.
Operations have stalled in most of the 47 counties
Lusaka said some projects are heavily affected when county governments do not have funds.
“People expect that they’ll see changes and I understand the pressure governors are facing especially the new Governors who promised residents they’ll perform better than their predecessors,” said Lusaka.
The Council of Governors, led by Chairman Josphat Nanok, has raised concerns about the disbursement of funds.
CoG says the delay is due to wrangles between the Senate and the National Treasury on the schedule of disbursements contained in the County Revenue Allocation Act 2017 (CARA).
The Senate sent a different schedule from the one contained in the Third Schedule of CARA and subsequently, the National Treasury has indicated that they will not release any funds unless the anomaly is rectified, and the CoG has threatened to take legal action.
Lusaka reiterated that there are sectors which are adversely affected when the County administration doesn’t have funds, “In the health sector, most County governments will want to purchase drugs and equip health facilities and dispensaries, and if you don’t have the funds then it becomes a big impediment,” he said.