City MCAs slash Sonko's budget as Badi team gets Sh15 billion

The Nairobi County Assembly has slashed close to Sh140 million from the governor's budget in supplementary estimates passed by the House.

The MCAs made the changes in a special sitting convened on Thursday to realign the budget after the transfer of four core functions to the national government.

Effective March 17, the county government relinquished control over health, planning and development, transport, public works and ancillary services.

The new Nairobi Metropolitan Service headed by Director General Mohammed Badi has been allocated Sh15 billion for the transferred functions.

Assembly finance, budget and appropriation committee chairman Robert Mbatia said Sh1.025 billion was allocated to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There is enhanced allocation under the Emergency Fund and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services is supposed to utilise these resources to support the national government’s efforts to fight the pandemic,” he said.

A sum of Sh85 million was allocated to ward-based interventions at Sh1 million per ward.

For general health interventions related to the pandemic, Sh940 million was allocated through the Emergency Fund.

Mbatia said the allocations affecting transferred functions in the supplementary budget had been retained at the figures approved in the annual estimates for the  2019-20 financial year.

To address nonpayment of casuals in September, October and November 2019, Sh80 million has been allocated for salaries.

Sh75.9 million was set aside for maintenance of the Data Centre.

Under the Fire Department, a sum of Sh 65million has been allocated for training of new recruits and purchase of their uniforms.

An additional Sh 90million has also been allocated for the contract on the Integrated Revenue Management System.

Allocation for medical insurance has been increased by Sh150 million.

To cater to the National Youth Service (NYS) expenses, casuals and other garbage collection costs, Sh400 million has been allocated to Solid Waste Management under Contracted Guards and Cleaning Services.

Reduced budgets

To provide the above resources some amendments have been effected in the budget.

Sh98 million has been cut from the budget of administrative and support services under the office of the governor and his deputy.

The recurrent allocation for security and safety management programme under the governor and his deputy has also been trimmed by Sh40 million.

The other department under the governor, the Disaster Management and Coordination, has had its budget has been trimmed by Sh 65 million.

The development allocation for Information and Communication Services under ICT has been reduced by Sh90million while the Public Finance Management under the Finance and Economic Planning has been reduced by Sh220 million.

The recurrent allocation for General Administration and Support Services under the Education Sector has also been reduced by Sh50million.

The development allocation for Wards Development Fund will be reduced by Sh180million while its recurrent allocation has been reduced by Sh30 million.

Last month, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Major General Mohammed Badi as the head of Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

The newly created office is expected to run Nairobi as Governor Mike Sonko faces corruption charges and battles his cases in court.

The President gave Major General Badi and the Nairobi Metropolitan Service team 100 days to dismantle cartels at City Hall.

The team was also tasked to put an end to corruption at the County Government which was said to be the biggest problem faced by Nairobi.

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