Editorials

EDITORIAL: Curb county spending

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Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The Controller of Budget says in the latest report that counties’ wage bill rose by 33.7 percent or Sh9.37 billion in three months to September. Indeed, pay and other allowances took a huge 72.84 percent of the Sh50 billion expenditure while the desired but neglected development goal only managed a negligible 6.89 percent. This should worry the governors who must, through their council, address the issue of employment against procedure.

When development budget is at the ebb, key projects like early education, water, heath care and feeder roads that fall under the regional administration suffer while the essence of devolution is giving meaning to the grassroots service with little hitch or delay.

According to the Treasury secretary, the governors are recruiting, with abandon, non-core workers “without regard to approved staff establishment or remuneration guidelines.” We ask the Treasury and other agencies to rein in such blatant abuse of procedures and rules that is a threat to devolution and growth of the regions. It should not be business as usual for counties to employ without ceasing while development of regions is pushed to the back burner.