Machakos County will spend huge resources to finance Health, Agriculture and Infrastructure programs in the 2023/24 financial year.
Governor Wavinya Ndeti's administration will also spend money in Water programs, according to the budget statement tabled on Tuesday in the Machakos County Assembly by Finance executive, Onesmus Muia Kuyu.
In the estimates, the county hopes to spend up to Sh14.75 billion in total, where 9.6 billion will go to recurrent expenditure while Sh5.1 billion will be utilized on development.
The breakdown of the entire budget includes Sh 9.6 billion equitable share allocation, Sh 2.99 billion own source revenue, Sh1.09 billion in conditional grants as well as Sh1 billion health revenues.
The current financial year's budget represents an increase of 27 percent compared the Sh12 billion budget proposed for last year's budget.
According to the budget estimates, Wavinya plans to spend a whooping Sh1.36 billion to finance her Healthcare agenda.
Of these, Sh365 million will be used to procure drugs and non-pharmaceutical supplies while Sh994 million will be utilized in rolling out other health related programs.
The programs include phased out construction works aimed at upgrading Machakos level 5 hospital to a regional referral facility as well as leasing of medical equipment.
The monies will also be used for construction and equipping of community hospitals.
In the Agriculture sector, being the backbone of the county's economy, Wavinya intends to spend a total of Sh904 million. Of these, Sh195 million will be absorbed in the fertilizer subsidy program while Sh105 million will be set aside for emergency Locust Response Program.
A further Sh250 million will be spent to implement the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project as Sh90 million will be channeled to support the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project.
Construction of silos and procurement of certified seeds will consume Sh50 million and Sh69.4 million respectively.
In an effort to improve livestock and dairy sector, the executive has budgeted for animal disease control through an allocation of Sh13 million that will go to the procurement of motorcycles for Ward-based farm extension officers as well as vaccines and renovation of slaughter houses.
Additional cash has also been earmarked for construction of livestock yards in major markets, improving and supporting fish farming as well as purchase of breeding stock and live animals.
Coffee, avocado, and bee farming have also been factored in the budget.
In the area of infrastructure, Wavinya plans to use a total of Sh879 million to finance various programs critical to her development agenda.
Of this, Sh376.5 million will be spent for the development and maintenance of major roads and grading of access roads.
Another Sh192 million will be channeled towards the construction of county government buildings which include two sub county offices in Ndithini and Matungulu.
Some sh 72 million will be used for hire and maintenance of transport equipment.
In the Water sector, the county has set aside Sh703 million for various programs which include drilling of new and rehabilitation of boreholes, construction and de-silting of dams, rehabilitation of irrigation schemes, as well as fuel for water machinery and equipment.
Other expenditure in Water will include management of sewerage systems and sanitation as well as mitigating the effects of climate change.
Addressing the media after presenting the budget statement, Mr Kuyu said measures have been put in place to ensure departments spend within their approved budgets and available cash flow to avert the chronic problem of pending Bills.
"The broad development policies and interventions intended for implementation by the new dispensation provides a clear and progressive approach to transform Machakos into a bastion of socio-economic development and prosperity," said Kuyu.
He said the county government had shelved introduction of new taxes in order to help residents cope with the prevailing difficult economic situation.
He noted that the increased revenue was due to enhanced fiscal discipline measures including automation of revenue collection and the consolidation of the previous 211 pay bill numbers to one single payment number.
