A new report by the Controller of Budget (CoB) covering the period between 1 July and 31 December 2023, has revealed how counties have used their funds for the first half of the Financial Year 2023/2024.
The report says most counties are splashing millions on allowances, salaries and foreign trips, but spend very little on development projects, up to 19 counties spending less than 10% of their allocated budget on development during the period.
The CoB report says out of the KSh. 168B disbursed to counties, only KSh. KSh. 24B was used on development projects, the remaining amount being sunk into recurrent expenditures.
Kisii County spent the least on development at 3.9%, followed by Nairobi County which spent 4.3% of its allocated budget on development projects.
Others are; Taita Taveta (4.9%), Machakos (5.2%), Mombasa (5.3%), Elgeyo Marakwet (6.3%), Samburu (7.1%), Nyeri (7.1%), Nyandarua (7.9%) and Baringo (8.0%).
On the flipside, counties which led in spending on development projects include Narok (41%), Kwale (29%) and Marsabit (27%).
The report further reveals County Governments spent up to KSh. 703M on County Assemblies’ sitting allowances, up from KSh. 434M in a similar period in the 2022/2023 Financial Year.
Counties leading in payment of County Assemblies sitting allowance include Baringo, Machakos, Vihiga, Kisii, Kiambu, Kakamega and Samburu.
Nairobi County also leads in spending its allocated budget in foreign trips, followed by Machakos, Kiambu, Kericho, Kitui, Nyeri, Lamu, Laikipia, Murang’a and Kilifi.
