Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has sworn to work closely with the National Government to expedite development programs in the county.
Barasa said he is set to welcome President William Ruto this week in the county, with hopes that the National government will support completion of stalled projects.
He said the county government is prioritizing the completion of the Sh8 billion Level Six hospital that is under construction, adding the project can only be successfully delivered through partnership.
“When we collaborate with the National Government we shall manage to complete the hospital,” he noted.
The governor said with its completion, the facility will employ over 5,000 residents of Kakamega.
At the same time, Barasa urged the National Treasury to expedite disbursement of funds to counties.
He said for now counties have only received disbursements up to September.
“There is an average delay of about two months and you can be sure if governors don’t have alternative sources of funding, especially the Own Source Revenue (OSR), the delays will cripple our operations,” he noted.
Barasa said the equitable share is provided for in the constitution and should not be based on absorption as was earlier alluded to by the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC).
“We have a responsibility to expedite absorption, what we are asking for is that we have timely disbursement of funds in order not to cause delays in offering services to our people,” he noted.
The governor called for transfer of requisite resources to follow the transfer of functions to counties.
By Moses Wekesa
