• They said delays in funds disbursement was negatively affecting smooth delivery of services by the counties, as well as leading to accumulation of pending bills.
• Muia said if there is no significance deviation from collection and the counties are within the budget, their funds will disbursed in a timely manner.
Image: CoG CHAIR/TWITTER
Council of Governors chairperson Anne Waiguru has said the funding challenges between governors and the National Treasury will be resolved.
She spoke while opening a three-day retreat on public finance, procurement and human resource management in Naivasha.
Waiguru said the retreat would help strengthen financial and fiscal relations between the national and county governments.
She said the forum would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to learn and share best practices in line with the theme, 'Towards better governance and outcome driven service delivery in the counties.'
The Kirinyaga governor said the resolution to convene the forum was made during the governors’ induction.
She said CoG recognised that the thematic areas to be discussed were matters of common interest among the 47 county governments and hence the need to deliberate and forge a way forward.
The retreat brings together governors and deputy governors from all the 47 counties and national government officials.
The officials include the Principal Secretary to the National Treasury Dr Julius Muia and the chairperson of Commission on Revenue Allocation Dr Jane Kiringai.
Also, the Controller of Budget Dr Margaret Nyakong’o and the UNDP deputy residence representative Mandisa Mashologu.
“It is incumbent upon us to fully understand the existing challenges and opportunities in order to effectively discharge our mandate as county governments," Waiguru said.
"It is our core responsibility to ensure efficient and effective service delivery to all citizens.”
The governor said the COG cannot fail to recognise the efforts that key institutions in government have put in support of devolution since its inception.
She said the retreat offered a platform to share best practices and enhance knowledge for smooth and seamless execution of the distinct but complimentary roles that the two levels of government play.
Some of the issues expected to take centre stage at the meeting is timely disbursement of funds allocated to the counties.
Waiguru said governors and the National Treasury have committed to continue consulting and cooperating on issues regarding public finance management, to ensure uninterrupted service delivery to citizens.
The COG during the full council meeting held last week had urged the national government to release outstanding fund allocations to the devolved units.
They said delays in funds disbursement was negatively affecting smooth delivery of services by the counties, as well as delaying payment of salaries and services rendered leading to accumulation of pending bills.
The COG chairperson further thanked the development partners for their unwavering support towards making the forum a success.
She said COG is committed to work with partners, to make the devolution dream come true.
Mashologu said UNDP has been partnering with COG since inception in promotion of service delivery, which has led to improved audit reports and own source revenue collection.
“COG will continue to strengthen the existing partnership between the National Treasury, the Commission on Revenue Allocation, Office of the Controller of Budget, development partners and other key stakeholders with a view of working harmoniously as the devolution family,” Waiguru said.
During the retreat, the governors will be taken through the county budgeting process, which includes management information systems, ceilings, absorption and withdrawal and compliance.
The Commission on Revenue Allocation will take them through the formula for sharing revenue among counties, own source revenue and unbundling and costing of functions.
They will also be appraised on key aspects of managing the county public service including performance and result-based management.
Responding to the concerns about delay in funds disbursement, Muia said if there is no significance deviation from collection and the counties are within the budget, their funds will disbursed in a timely manner.
Critical issues in public procurement such as governors’ role in county procurement, pending bills and linkage between the county plans, budgets, procurement plan and compliance will also be addressed.
With Waiguru at the helm of COG, many Kenyans have expressed high expectations that the longstanding issues around intergovernmental relations will be resolved.
This, given her past experience as a senior officer at the National Treasury as well as Devolution CS.
At the National Treasury, Waiguru was in charge of automation of the national government fiscal management through the Integrated Financial Management Information System.
Ifmis has since been cascaded to the 47 counties.
The governors however, want the National Treasury give county governments adequate time to process and transmit payments through Ifmis when there is late disbursement of funds.
As a Cabinet secretary, she was charged with facilitating the establishment of the county governments’ operational units through provision of financial and human resources as well as physical infrastructure.
“Expectations are high that this meeting will marshal all the relevant resources towards unlocking existing bottlenecks that undermine the letter and the spirit of devolution,” Waiguru said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)