M a r k e t N e w s
Kenya: Deputy President Seeks Sh8 Billion for Roadworks
Posted on : Wednesday, 13th April 2016
A team chaired by Deputy President William Ruto now wants governors to be given Sh8 billion for the construction and maintenance of county roads after they were denied funds in the Division of Revenue Bill, 2016.
The Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), which brings together the two levels of government, has proposed that the allocation be included in the Bill, which is currently before the Senate, after being passed by the National Assembly.
According to the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), which is a member of IBEC, the proposal was made after the reclassification of roads. The move saw over 120,000 kilometres of roads fall under the county governments.
The commission told a Senate Finance Committee sitting at County Hall, Nairobi, that it would be wrong if money was not set aside for the roads that are now under the devolved units.
The committee chaired by Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow is scrutinising the Bill before presenting a report to the House to guide fellow lawmakers on whether they should adopt or reject it.
The Bill proposes Sh280 billion shareable revenue for the counties.
CRA chairman Micah Cheserem said only 40,000 kilometres of roads had remained under the national government yet the whole vote for these and the devolved ones was still controlled in Nairobi.
He said the IBEC had agreed that the 47 counties should get an allocation to enable them to improve the road networks within their jurisdictions.
The commission presented documents to the House team indicating that the IBEC had agreed to allocate Sh8.43 billion for county roads.
Mr Cheserem said the allocation still falls short of the Sh28 billion his commission wanted for the counties, adding that they control more than 75 per cent of the country's road network.
"The TA (Transition Authority) gave them additional roads, but the National Treasury has not offered them any money.
"How can the counties control more than 70 per cent of our road networks without being given any money to maintain them?" he asked.
Source : allafrica.com
