Kiambu Governor, Kimani Wamatangi, on Wednesday, signed the County Appropriation Bill, 2022/2023 into law.
The bill authorizes the executive members to spend an additional Sh1.2 billion on development projects before the current financial year ends on June 30, 2023.
The signing of the County Appropriation Bill bill comes barely a month after members of the County assembly accused members of the executive of the failure to utilize development funds prudently.
The MCAs had claimed that if the Wamatangi fails to act, the County would return billions to the treasury after the financial year end in June.
Peter Mburu Kamenu ward MCA had told the media that the executive had failed to deliver since they have not utilized the budget allocation as it should be.
The highest allocation absorbed is the agriculture department with 13 % while the trade department has had 0% absorption.
"The financial year 2022/2023 is about to end on June 30th yet the county government has not utilized development money prudently. We have a CECM finance who brought in the supplementary budget late and that is why we are firing her for not advising the governor. The assembly is doing its oversight role and has no malice and will not allow impunity to take precedence," Mburu said.
Speaking during the signing event, Wamatangi said the supplementary budget will fund a range of projects, including the construction of 11 new dispensaries, the renovation of Thika, Kihara, Tigoni, Igegania, Kigumo, Nyathuna Level Four Hospitals.
The governor said the funding will go towards completing stalled Bibirioni, Thogoto, Lari, and Wangige hospitals as well as the construction of 11 dispensaries and upgrading Gachororo and Karuri hospitals to level four facilities.
In addition to the above, Wamatangi said the budget will allocate Sh100 million for a second round of bursaries to needy students, which will be disbursed next month, while Sh89 million will be used to construct new modern Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) classrooms.
“A further Sh296 million will be allocated to fund road construction and maintenance, including the construction of bridges,” he said.
Wamatangi was accompanied by County assembly leadership. He pledged to fulfil all the campaign promises.
Speaking to Star, Kiamwangi MCA Kungu Smart has called on elected leaders in Kiambu County to work in unity and deliver on their campaign promises.
He said that Kiambu County has been a subject of "bad news" for a long and its high time leaders embrace each and deliver to the community.
“We should work together and support each other as the divisive politics aren’t healthy for the County,” Kungu said.
He said that the move to sign the County Appropriation Bill, 2023, is expected to accelerate the growth and development of Kiambu County and provide much-needed infrastructure to support the local population.
He said that the funds will enhance service delivery in critical sectors such as health, education, and transport, thereby improving the living standards of the people of Kiambu.
