Good governance and accountability champions have raised concerns over the county government’s expenditure on payment of workers’ salaries in the first quarter of the financial year 2024/25.

This comes after a report by the Controller of Budget revealed that Nakuru county spent Sh 2.09 billion on recurrent expenditure as at September 30, which translates to 89 percent of the monies approved by the exchequer for the period.

Out of the money Sh 1.72 billion (67 percent of the available revenues) went towards employees’ compensation. Only Sh 31.29 million (11 percent) was spent on the development activity during the period under review.

The county received Sh 3.85billion to fund its recurrent and development activities which included the county equitable share from the National Government that was Sh2.24 billion and the county’s own source revenue collection of Sh 600.9 million.

The county however, only spent Sh 2.13 billion which is 82 percent of the total funds released by the controller of budget and comprised Sh 31.29 million and Sh 2.09 billion on development and recurrent programs, respectively.

“Analysis of the recurrent exchequers released in the first three months of the FY 2024/25 indicates that Sh 1.72 billion was released towards employee compensation and Sh588.19 million for operations and maintenance expenditure,” read the report.

Mr Laban Omusindi of the Grassroot Civilian Oversight initiative contends that the expenditure of county budget on the salaries beyond 35 percent is illegal, as it goes against the requirements of the public Finance Management Act.

He faulted the county government for prioritizing the employees’ salaries at the expense of development and service delivery to the residents

“The purpose of devolution is to advance service to wananchi and bring development. When you find a county spending a few coins on development, in my view, that is misplaced priority,” he says.

According to him, the Sh 31 million expenditures on development is too insignificant compared to the size and population of Nakuru county

“The expenditure by the county administration is something that oversight entities must come in to ensure the priorities are set right so that money meant for Nakuru should not only be channelled towards payment of salaries alone. We also need structures to be put in place for checks and balances,” adds Mr Omusindi.

He wondered why the county government officials have been claiming to be busy during this period yet the report indicates minimal development.

Mr Omusindi was referring to the county social media pages, which reveal a number of development posts including drilling of boreholes and development of roads and other infrastructures, by members of the county executive.

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