The government should devolve disbursement of disaster funds to the 47 counties across for quick response to adversities.
This proposal emanated from a public participation forum organized by National Treasury at Ofafa Memorial Hall in Kisumu, meant to seek views to be incorporated in the draft Public Finance Management (Disaster Risk Management Fund), Regulations 2024.
Led by the Director Financial Services at the National Treasury, Ronald Inyangala participants drawn from Kisumu, Busia, Vihiga, Bungoma, Kakamega and Kericho counties said this would ensure greater impact and quick response to disasters whenever they occur.
Data obtained from the Office of the Controller of Budget (CoB) indicate that the 47 counties cumulatively had Sh1.9 billion set aside for their emergency response in the 2023/2024 Financial Year.
However, the devolved units only spent Sh963 million as of December last year. This left a whooping Sh973 million which was unspent with stakeholders questioning the slow absorption of the funds, even as the affected communities continued suffering in makeshift camps.
A section of the participants pointed out that even the projected Sh5 billion projected to be allocated to the fund was still inadequate, hence the push to have more resources.
Inyangala pointed out that the new Regulation seeks to provide a framework on how best disasters can be managed across the country, which suffers perennial floods and landslides in various regions.
He said that for a long time the country has handled disasters in a disjointed manner, and so the new framework seeks to come up with a well-coordinated strategy operated from one command center.
However, Inyangala reassured the public that the government was committed towards developing a more effective law and fund that will offer greater support when such calamities strike.
“The new law provides different ways of addressing disasters from Mitigation, Preparedness, Response to Recovery and how the governance of the fund can be done more effectively.
Out of the total allocation, 17% of the funds will go to Disaster Mitigation preparedness, 50% to Disaster Response, while 30% will cater for loss and recovery, leaving only 3 percent to be used for administrative costs,” he reiterated.
The explained that the Disaster Management Fund will be governed by an oversight board, which will include Permanent Secretaries (national government) and the County governments through Council of Governors (CoG), set to appoint 3 representatives to the Board.
He added that the Ofafa Memorial forum was aimed at seeking public opinion as a constitutional requirement to beef up the document before finally developing it into a full-fledged law.
The Director told KNA in an exclusive interview that the region’s response and active contributions were commendable not only for the huge turn up people, who clearly understood disaster related issues, but giving perspectives that could be incorporated in the final document.
Residents of Kisumu also raised a concern that the fund should not be misused, so that it can benefit the right people at the grassroots.
They also inquired if the Disaster Management Fund could be devolved to the county levels for ease of access.
By Faith Lumumba And Joseph Ouma
