Nandi Deputy Governor Dr. Yulita Mitei now says the new Ward Development Funding Model implemented this financial year will accelerate development since it is a people-driven initiative.
Dr. Mitei said the new model is helpful as it reinstates power to people and that funds are no longer decided at the county level but at the ward level.
She said the current County Integrated Development Plan has instituted committees in every ward, which will be instrumental in the implementation of the projects as agreed by the locals through elaborate public participation.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, during the launch of CIDP last year, expressed confidence that the new ward-based development model is the first of its kind in the region that other counties will bench from Nandi.
“Every individual ward decides on what to do with their development funds for projects, for example, how to allocate health, education, or infrastructure,” Dr. Mitei insisted while speaking to the residents of Senetwo in Tinderet Sub-County.
Further, the DG says the cess tax is no longer going to the County Revenue Account but to the ward cess fund account after it was successfully challenged in court by the tea farmers.
The Nandi tea farmers had opposed the cess tax to be received at the County Revenue Account.
“Tea firms challenged in court the County Government from accessing cess tax, which was granted and now managed by the cess committee,” Mitei said.
She noted that the cess committee will decide which roads feeding sugarcane plantations and tea-growing areas will be prioritised for maintenance.
“We decided on this model because it is helpful at ward level, it has worked, and there are ongoing unfinished water projects that will help society and schools,” she said.
Dr. Mitei hailed the National Assembly for approving Nandi County as a beneficiary of Equalisation Funds.
“A total of sh116 million Equalization Funds was allocated to Nandi County, with Tinderet Sub-County receiving the lion’s share spent in projects of health, water, and roads targeting four wards,” Mitei revealed.
Close to 30 projects in Nandi are earmarked to benefit from the equalisation funds, with 13 projects already done and 18 yet to be accomplished. Mitei went on.
Nandi County Commissioner Caroline Nzwili has always maintained that the projects chosen to benefit from equalisation funds were chosen after rigorous public participation where locals were asked to choose priority projects based on equalisation funds guidelines.
By Geoffrey Satia
