Court to rule on Vihiga County Sh5.8 billion budget deadlock as row rages over estimates

Vihiga residents led by Joseph Simekha addressing media at Mbale on May 23, 2021. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The High Court will today decide whether Vihiga County implements a Sh5.8 billion budget approved by the assembly in June.

Justice William Musyoka was expected to give the judgment in Kakamega last Friday but pushed the date saying it wasn’t ready.

Former County Secretary Francis Ominde and political analyst Joseph Simekha filed the petition in June with respect to approval of the budget estimates for the 2021/2022 financial year.

They said the Controller of Budget is an interested party that the county failed to involve as required by Section 129 (1) of the Public Finance Management Act. The court then issued temporary orders stopping the implementation of the budget until the case is determined. 

In an attempt to overturn the stay orders, the county argued the petition was against public good labeling the petitioners “overzealous litigants” who should be ignored. “The first petitioner is masquerading that the petition was brought in the public interest when it is quite clear he had a personal interest in the matter,” said the county.