The Council of Governors is set to hold a crisis meeting to discuss recent budget cuts amounting to approximately Ksh 25 billion and other key issues affecting the county governments.
The county bosses have convened an emergency council meeting to seek answers from the Treasury regarding the budget reductions, which they argue will severely impact donor-funded projects.
Among the demands from the governors is for the Senate to reject the budget cuts and push for revisions before approving the final budget.
According to Council of Governors (CoG) chair and Wajir Governor, Ahmed Abdullahi, the only agreement between CoG and MPs was on the exclusion of the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF), which is currently subject to an ongoing court case.
“So we are asking the Senate not to accept this bill. We are asking the Senate to pass the one that we had agreed. The protracted engagement that happens before we come to this stage of passing laws, we appear before the Senate, and we negotiate with CRA,” he said.
They argue that counties have as much right to access the RMLF, as they are responsible for constructing roads, and it is the same fuel levy that funds the RMLF. A showdown is now looming, with the executive stepping in to cool tensions.
Governor Abdullahi further stated that MPs had completely removed any allocation to the RMLF, and in the third schedule, they reduced the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP) grant funds from Ksh 10.4 billion to Ksh 1.7 billion.
Additionally, the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) grant has been reduced from Ksh 4.9 billion to Ksh 2.586 billion.
Other donor-funded projects that have also faced significant cuts are:
- FSRP grant: Reduced from Ksh 2.25 billion to Ksh 905 million
- NAVCDP: Reduced from Ksh 5 billion to Ksh 1.7 billion
- WSDP grant: Reduced from Ksh 5.7 billion to Ksh 3.43 billion
- KDSP II grant: Reduced from Ksh 1.76 billion to Ksh 1.48 billion
- KUSP II: Reduced from Ksh 7.6 billion to Ksh 1.668 billion
- KABDP: Reduced from Ksh 513 million to Ksh 42 million
The Friday meeting is expected to take a unified stand, as some of the matters have already been discussed at the highest decision-making organ—the summit.
By KBC Digital
