Bloated workforce to gobble up Sh5.2b

The county plans to spend 40 per cent of its Sh12.8 billion 2016-17 budget on salaries.

According to budget estimates tabled before the county assembly yesterday, the wage bill will rise from Sh4.9 billion in the current financial year to Sh5.2 billion in the next fiscal year.

Some Sh8.7 billion is earmarked for recurrent expenditure and Sh4 billion will be spent on development projects.

Ahead of next week’s reading of the budget estimates by Finance Executive Anne Njenga, there has been a hue and cry over the county’s ballooning wage bill, which analysts argue has adversely affected the development budget.

And a County Assembly committee appointed to investigate illegal hiring of staff has completed its investigations and has retreated to write its report.

The ad hoc committee heard how members of the Executive, the Public Service Board and the Public Service Management conspired to illegally add 300 names in the payroll without following due process in the period between May 1 and September 2015.

Audit Workers

The Senate County Accounts and Investment Committee has also ordered Governor Kinuthia Mbugua’s administration to audit its 7,128 staff to ascertain the actual number of workers, roles and responsibilities and their qualifications.

The irregular promotion of some 2,000 employees has also put the county Public Service Board on the spot.

In the 2016-17 financial year, Nakuru will receive Sh8.7 billion from the National Treasury, Sh2.3 billion from local revenue sources to fund the budget and Sh356 million conditional grant from level five hospital.

The county will further receive Sh95 million for leasing of medical equipment, Sh215 million free maternity funds, Sh134 million from road maintenance fuel levy fund, Sh25 million from Danida and Sh605 million from facility improvement fund.

In the 2016-17 budget estimates presented to the county assembly, the health department is set to gobble up Sh3.8 billion in recurrent expenditure and Sh666 million in development expenditure.

The Health department allocation comprises 35.1 per cent of the entire Sh12.8 billion budget. Roads and Public Works has been allocated Sh1.2 billion.