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Marginalised areas in Kajiado county have been allocated Sh952 million from the Equalisation Fund to uplift basic services such as road infrastructure, water, health, education and electricity.
The Commission on Revenue Allocation in its second policy identified 64 sub-locations in Kajiado Central, West and South as marginalised with residents in those areas lacking access to basic services.
According to CRA vice chairman Koitamet ole Kina, marginalised areas have been left behind by the previous governments in regards to development.
He revealed that the Equalisation Fund will ensure all Kenyans residing in those areas can enjoy basic services at their localities.
Ole Kina added that the monies to be disbursed soon do not directly address poverty but deal with factors that cause poverty such as lack of water, education, roads, electricity and health.
“We have areas without a dispensary, water, roads or schools. The funds will ensure that residents in those places have access to these services so that they are at par with the rest of the country,” he said.
The CRA team visited areas listed as marginalised in Kajiado county such as Impiro, Lorngosua, Torosei, Enkaroni and Ilmarba, among others, to determine whether the areas are still underdeveloped.
A total of 1,424 marginalised regions spread across 34 counties have been earmarked to benefit from the Sh13.89 billion in the current financial year ending June 30.
This is after Senate passed the Equalisation Fund (Appropriations) Bill, 2023 that authorises the counties to spend the cash.
The Bill details how the 34 counties will share the funds to develop areas identified as marginalised.
Initially, the funds were meant for 14 least developed counties, especially those in the arid and semi-arid areas, but the CRA changed the formula and expanded the number of beneficiary counties to 34.
Kajiado Governor Joseph Lenku said the funds would help uplift the life of the residents and urged that the utilisation of the funds be done scientifically to avoid political interference.
“The third marginalisation policy being developed must be as scientific as possible. It must not be interfered with politically because this will defeat the real purpose it is being formulated,” the governor said.
The CRA in its third policy has identified 76 sub-locations in Kajiado as marginalised.
This is in line with its mandate to determine, publish and regularly review a policy in which it sets out the criteria by which to identify the marginalised areas for purposes of the Equalisation Fund (Article 216(4), Constitution of Kenya, 2010). BY THE STAR