Nandi County Government has unveiled a Sh9 billion budget for the financial year 2024-2025.
The budget was presented before the County Assembly by County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Finance Hillary Serem who said the budget mainly is focusing on Wards thus operationalisation of the Equitable Development Act 2023.
The law that creates the Ward Fund stipulates that all development resources should be decided at the 30 electoral wards and puts MCAs at the centre of development.
Serem noted that out of Sh2.6 billion meant for development, Sh1.1 billion is going to the Ward-level to finance various development projects which members of the public have prioritised during public participation.
He said Ward representatives are the patrons of the committees and the implementation of the development programmes will now shift from the governor’s office to the committees and MCAs.
“Every ward has respective priority projects ready for implementation as captured in the County Integrated Development plan and approved by the controller of budget,” he said
The Finance CECM said the county has projected 12 percent increase in revenue collection to Sh600 million adding that they are hopeful to attain that target or even surpass it due to the measures they have put in place.
“We have agreed with land rates in multinational tea estates who used to pay Sh100-400 per acre are now paying Sh1,600 per acre. We are looking up to a brighter future in form of revenues for Nandi County,” he said.
Serem noted that top financial allocation went to the Roads department which received Sh460 million followed by Education, Health and Water as per the prioritisation by the people.
He said the focus will also include completion and operationalisation of County flagship projects among then a dairy processing plant, coffee milling plant, multi-million mother and child hospital, a textile mill among others.
By Linet Wafula
