Many county projects have stalled due to poor disbursement of funds by the national Treasury, Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago has said.
Mandago said the Treasury sends money to counties haphazardly, making the implementation of projects difficult.
“Our MPs and senators should push for effective flow of funds to the counties so that we can sustain development and ensure that the projects we have started do not stall or take too long to complete,” he said.
A project should be completed within set timeline to benefit residents. And quick completion of projects ensures Kenyans get value for the money invested, the governor said.
He spoke in Nandi county on Saturday during the burial of Sammy Rono, a brother of former Nandi governor Cleophas Lagat.
The county boss said governors have raised their concern with Treasury CS Henry Rotich to expedite disbursement of funds.
Mosop MP Vincent Tuwei said the national government disburses funds to counties long after budgets have been passed by the assemblies.
The automated funds system IFMIS is not working effectively, Tuwei said, and partly blamed it for the delays.
According to the County Budget Implementation Review Report, 24 devolved units did not spend a penny on development projects between July and September 2018.
On health matters, Mandago asked MPs to pass laws to ease the burden of cancer in Kenya.
He said the cost of equipment and drugs should be subsidised so that public hospitals can deal with the disease better.
Cancer is a leading healthcare problem in the country, he said.
County governments are working hard to properly equip hospitals to deal with many lifestyle diseases and other health challenges.
The governor also asked the legislators to shoot down a bill seeking to make it mandatory for counties to procure drugs from Kemsa.
“Don’t allow that bill to go through because counties should be free to buy drugs where it is affordable,” Mandago said.
He said Kemsa may lack drugs required by counties and as such, the regions should be allowed to source supplies wherever they are available.
Among others at the funeral were Nandi governor Stephen Sang, his Deputy Yulita Cheruiyot and Nandi Senator Cherargei Kiprotich.