• Sakaja aims to collect Sh19.9 billion own source revenue in FY 2023-24.
•Kerich told the Star that the budget is premised on the need to address challenges that the people of Nairobi are facing.
Image: Handout
Nairobi County will on Thursday have its budget reading statement at the county assembly chambers.
This will be Sakaja's first budget in which he aims to collect Sh19.9 billion own source revenue in the Financial Year 2023-24.
The Sh40.7 billion new budget is a slight increase from the current which is at Sh39.63 billion.
Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Finance Charles Kerich told the Star that the budget is premised on the need to address challenges facing the people of Nairobi.
"The 2023 budget is the first budget of this Administration under the leadership of His Excellency Honourable Sakaja Johnson, the Governor of Nairobi City County Government," Kerich said ahead of the budget reading.
"Special focus will be placed on the interventions that touch on infrastructure, health care, environment,school-going children,the youth, and expanding the tax base for more revenue to finance development."
He noted that the county’s strategies will involve putting more focus on sectors envisaged to have the largest impact on the livelihood of Nairobians.
The strategies include enhancing quality and affordable healthcare.
"This entails promoting access to quality and affordable healthcare through stocking equipping, construction and rehabilitation of health facilities," Kerich said.
Another area of focus is the school Feeding Programme, which already has 10 kitchens under construction.
"This programme will improve the nutritional status of the learners and also encourage students to attend school leading to increased enrollment, performance, and transition to higher levels of education. The county has targeted to feed about 250,000 children in the next financial year," Kerich added.
Health, wellness and nutrition sector is the biggest winner in the proposed budget.
The department had been allocated Sh8.1 billion as highlighted in the County Fiscal Strategy Paper 2023.
However, the allocation might change after the budget estimates are tabled.
The CFSP is the county government's strategy document for the budget and provides the link between the government's overall policies and implemented through the annual budget.
The Sh1 billion will cater to the much-awaited establishment of the school feeding programme for learners in public primary schools which will get Sh1 billion of the budget.
Other projects include ECD centres, establishing a cancer treatment centre at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and promoting emergency and referral services.
Others include ease of movement within the county, talent skills development and care, Green Nairobi and Affordable Housing
CEC Kerich stated that the county government has continued to redevelop county rental houses to support the development of affordable housing for the residents of Nairobi.
Two projects are ongoing under phase 1 (Pangani 1,562 units and Jeevanjee 1,830 units) while another seven projects are under procurement for phase 2 and are expected to deliver 14,000 units.
These include Woodley (1,700 units), Kariobangi North (1,000 units), Bahati (3,000 units), Ziwani (2,500 units), Maringo (2,000 units) and Jericho (4,000 units).
"Other projects will be identified once phase two commences," Kerich added.