Vihiga Governor Wilbur Ottichilo HILTON OTENYO
Vihiga government plans to channel an additional Sh1.2 billion in shareable revenue toward transforming health, education, water and market infrastructure.
The county is set to receive an extra Sh716.7 million this financial year following the enactment of the County Governments Additional Allocations Act, and a further Sh551.5 million under the new revenue-sharing formula passed by the Senate.
Governor Wilber Ottichilo said Sh135 million will go toward completing and equipping the long-stalled Vihiga County Referral Hospital Doctors’ Plaza, which has faced delays since 2017.
The county has allocated Sh55 million in the main budget and an additional Sh80 million in the supplementary phase.
He added that Sh5 million has been earmarked for the completion and make operation of the Emusire Subcounty Hospital mortuary and another Sh5 million for finishing a maternity wing at the Sabatia Subcounty Hospital.
“These measures aim to reduce medical referrals outside the county and improve service delivery to residents,” Ottichilo said.
To enhance energy sustainability, the county has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation to jointly solarise county facilities.
Each side will contribute Sh25 million to power water systems and public markets with solar energy.
A further Sh30.5 million has been set aside for installing solar floodlights in markets to boost safety and support night-time trading.
In the education sector, the county has allocated Sh12.5 million to equip existing Early Childhood Development and Education centres, with an additional Sh5 million to be added later.
A total of Sh28 million has been earmarked for gratuity for ECDE teachers and Sh10 million for capitation, with both set to receive supplementary allocations of Sh17 million and Sh10 million, respectively.
Vocational training centres will receive Sh2 million for gratuity and Sh20 million for capitation, with additional allocations of Sh6 million and Sh50 million to follow.
Another Sh51.7 million has been allocated for classroom construction, equipment and learning materials under ward-based education projects.
Ottichilo said that the national government has allocated Sh890
million to implement the last-mile connectivity component of the Kenya–Belgium
water project, expanding piped water access across Vihiga.
In the markets sector, Sh30.5 million has been set aside for lighting and infrastructure development, Sh10 million for toilets and Sh6 million for cabro paving in select markets.
The county is also partnering with the national government to modernise major markets, a move aimed at stimulating local trade and job creation.
The governor said his administration has prioritised essential services in line with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, focusing on settlement of pending bills, completion of stalled projects, job creation, climate change adaptation and poverty reduction.
“Every shilling in this budget is tied to impact — improving livelihoods through health, education, energy and market revitalisation,” Ottichilo said.
He emphasised that the county will not use the additional funds to recruit new staff, saying fiscal discipline remains central to his administration.
“These funds will not inflate our wage bill. Instead, they will help us meet the recommended wage-to-revenue ratio through efficiency and revenue mobilisation,” he said, adding that recruitment will only be done to fill essential or replacement positions.
