Homa Bay County rakes in highest revenue in seven years

Homabay Governor Gladys Wanga. [File, Standard]

Governor Gladys Wanga's administration has hit a record revenue collection in a period of seven years.

The county government slightly missed hitting the Sh1 billion mark by generating Sh927.23 million from its own sources, representing a 67.4 percent increase. The administration collected Sh553.71 million in 2023/2023 financial year.

The revenue collection trend in the county has risen steadily from Sh72 million in the 2017/18 financial year, Sh248 million in the 2021/22 financial year to the current Sh927 million.

The County Assembly enacted the Homa Bay County Facility Improvement Fund (FIF) Act, 2023, which allows health facilities to collect and retain revenue paid as user fees to defray operational, management and capital costs.

The revenue collection figures are contained in a report prepared by the Controller of Budget (CoB) Dr Margret Nyakang'o on the implementation of the budget review for nine months; covering July 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024.

“Information contained in the report on budget implementation is also valuable to the Legislature and the Executive arms of government in facilitating decision-making relating to the management of public funds,” said Dr Nyakang'o. 

And Governor Amos Nyaribo’s cashless revenue collection system seems to be working for his Nyamira County, with a collection of Sh285 million in the first nine months of the current financial year.

The county’s revenue increased by 33.3 percent, with Sh98.74 million as ordinary own-source revenue and Sh91 million from other sources of revenue.

Prof Anyang Nyong’o’s Kisumu County raised Sh942.79 million as own-source revenue.

The funds raised include Sh419.11 million as FIF and Sh523.69 million as ordinary own-source revenue.

The total funds available for budget implementation during the period amounted to Sh7.85 billion.

The Sh 942.79 million represented an increase of 14.5 percent compared to Sh823.63 million realised in a similar period in the 2022/23 financial year.

The highest revenue stream of S 419.11 million was from the Health Department under FIF, contributing to 45.1 percent of the total own-source revenue. The county did not borrow from commercial banks during the reporting period.

Migori County hit slightly above 50 percent of its target. The county generated Sh352 million from its sources of revenue, representing 56.4 percent of the annual target and 7.3 percent of the equitable revenue share disbursed during the period.

Governor Simba Arati’s administration in Kisii is expected to generate Sh650 million as gross own-source revenue in the current financial year.

However, the county failed to hit the half mark in the nine months, raising Sh321.22 million as own-source revenue, a decrease of 30 percent from a similar period in the previous year.

Governor James Orengo managed to raise Sh252.04 million from health facilities and hospital fees and Sh150.56 million as own-source revenue.