Finance committee chairman Michael Ogada Okumu (left) read the Sh14.8 billion budget at City Hall promising residents better health facilities, education, environment and security June 30, 2011. FILE
By LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, June 30 2011 at 15:45
Posted Thursday, June 30 2011 at 15:45
The City Council of Nairobi has unveiled an ambitious Sh14.8 billion budget promising residents better health facilities, education, environment and security.
Finance committee chairman Michael Ogada Okumu read the budget at City Hall Thursday- the biggest in the council’s history.
The council intends to draw Sh4.2bn from the government and a further Sh10.6bn from “local sources” including land rates, business permits and parking fee to finance its ambitious budget.
The council expects Sh3.3 billion from Local Authorities Transfer Fund and fuel levy (Sh0.9 bn).
The council’s budget stood at Sh12 billion in 2010/2011.
Accompanied by Town Clerk Philip Kisia and Mayor George Aladwa, Mr Okumu said roads would improve at Sh1.5 billion, 75 clinics expanded at Sh1.4 bn, city mortuary (Sh90 million) and Pumwani Maternity hospital (Sh338 million).
The council will inject Sh820 million to education with Sh114 million dedicated for expansion of schools while each ward is to receive Sh1 million for bursary to be accessed "through ward elected councillors".
Sh884 million is to go to garbage collection, purchase of more collection equipments and upgrading of access roads to Dandora dumpsite.
To manage its resources better the council is to pump Sh32 million to ICT while construction of a fire station in Dagorreti and purchase of a fire engine will cost Sh65 million.
Street lighting and maintenance will cost the council Sh325 million to help improve security with Sh2 million being spent in every ward.
Mr Okumu said Sh239 million will go towards staff rationalisation and training, Sh200 million for staff and civic medical scheme, Sh90 million to replace old vehicles, Sh50 million for rehabilitation of recreational and welfare centres.
"To realise our budget objectives, we need to collect all revenue that are due to the council. This therefore calls for redoubling of our efforts in revenue collection,” Mr Okumu said.
He warned that with a monthly recurrent expenditure of Sh1 billion, "the council may come to an abrupt halt in terms of capital development, if due care is not taken".
“This therefore demands prudence in fiscal management and concerted efforts in service delivery, especially from the employees, in order to satisfy the huge wage bill,” Mr Okumu said.
The chairman further urged the government, parastatals and other fees and rate payers to pay debts owed to the council amounting to billions of shillings.
Mr Okumu and Mr Kisia announced that the council would from September implement an online application and approval for both single business permits and building plans.
Mr Kisia also announced the council has been voted the best in physical planning in sub-Saharan by the World Bank in 2010 as some participants who had attended the launch murmured “how?"
The council has recently been on the spot over frequent collapse of buildings.
“From September as an architect you will be able to present your building plans electronically and track progress, receive comments and approval within 30 minutes. Before we were known as the most corrupt planning department in Africa,” Mr Kisia said.
Mr Kisia and Mr Aladwa said the budget should be used in an open and transparent manner, as it is taxpayers’ money.
“We need to protect public funds as City Hall is merely the custodian. Let us embrace transparency as we utilise the funds,” Mr Kisia said.
Mr Aladwa said debt arrears and rate defaulters were affecting the council operations.
“The council has also started on the ISO certification exercise to ensure proper and well documented procedures are in place while still strengthening the internal controls,” Mr Okumu said.
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