Editorials

EDITORIAL: Spend county funds wisely

ROAD

Majority of the 47 units are in dire need of essential services like water, roads, and health. FILE OPHOTO | NMG

More than five years after the devolved system of governance took off Kenyans are still wondering when those elected to govern the devolved units will start focusing more on their urgent core needs.

Majority of the 47 units are in dire need of essential services like water, roads, health but it seems that those in charge are more focused on personal emoluments and comfortable lifestyles.

Hardly a week passes without one county releasing its financial statement for the next year. Of great concern to many Kenyans is the propensity to award huge budgets for the construction of mansions for the governors and top county officials while seemingly giving a blind eye to the segment that matter most, namely the development of the countries.

One wonders why there is a rush to build these costly edifices yet at the grassroots the common citizen is living in stark poverty.

Shouldn’t the main thrust of the counties’ development agenda be to improve the welfare of the residents and not massage the egos of the administrators? While the Commission on Revenue Allocation was right to rein in spending by the units in 2015 through the setting of timelines for allocation of resources, it clearly seems that some of the counties are viewing the edict as a carte blanche to embark on a spending spree.

What the Commission on Revenue Allocation had warned about was their failure to allocate funds to critical services and instead solely dwelling on non-core projects. We reiterate that great emphasis should be on delivery of essential services to the residents and the rush to build costly homes does not qualify and should be on the periphery.