Sakaja suffers blows as MCAs cut budget by Sh4 billion
Odalo stressed that his committee would deal with the old stalled projects in the wards by allocating funds for their completion
The Nairobi City County Assembly has put a halt on new projects in the 2025/26 financial year budget estimates, which have been submitted by the county executive for consideration.
Thus, the Budget Committee will not allocate funds for any new development projects. Instead, funds will only be factored into the new budget, to complete old and stalled projects, the chairman Wilfred Odalo told the Assembly.
He informed the House that the county executive has already forwarded budget estimates for the financial year 2025/26 to the Assembly, which he expects to bring before the House in two weeks.
”So far, I am aware the budget estimates presented to us stand at over Kshs. 48 billion, but the budget Committee has reduced it to Kshs. 44 billion”, Odalo said.
Odalo gave assurance to Members of the County Assembly that his team will only allocate funds for completion of the stalled projects in their respective Wards.
The approved annual budget estimates for the financial year 2024/25, ending on June 30, 2025 was Sh43.564 billion consisting of Kshs. 29.3 billion for recurrent expenditure and Sh4.3 billion for development.
However, the latest County Budget Implementation Report by the Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o puts Governor Sakaja’s administration on spot over low absorption on funds allocated for development.
The Report shows that in the first nine months of the Financial Year 2024/25, covering July 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, out of the Ksh21.81 billion the county received, only Kshs. 2.43 billion was spent on county development programmes and Kshs.19.38 billion on recurrent expenditures.
Addressing a plenary session on Tuesday last week, Odalo, who represents Mabatini Ward, urged MCAs to bear with the Budget Committee, saying it was working on all the Members’ concerns that have been raised on the floor, through statement requests.
”Present (to the Committee) the stalled projects because we will not entertain any new projects in the (budget) document”, Chairman Odalo firmly said.
Odalo told the Assembly that budget estimates for the financial year 2025/26 would be brought to the plenary in two weeks times.
”I wish to inform members that the budget is a negotiated document. But this time, we will not entertain any new projects,” said Odalo.
The chairman stressed that his committee would deal with the old stalled projects in the wards by allocating funds for their completion.
”Honourable Members, kindly bear with us because the budget team is doing their work. We will major on the old stalled projects,” said Odalo.
The debate was triggered by a statement from Roysambu Ward MCA Sospeter Mumbi, who sought answers over several incomplete projects in his Ward.
At the same time, the Leader of Majority Jateso Peter Imwatok, who is also the leader of county government business in the assembly, wants the Budget Committee to allocate funds to hire the County Green Army staff on permanent and pensionable terms.
In the plenary proceedings, Imwatok told Speaker Ken Ng’ondi that he would bring a substantive motion to the House this week for debate and consideration, on allocation of funds in the coming budget specifically for that purpose.
He urged the Budget Committee chairman to factor funds into the 2025/26 financial estimates, that will enable the county government to absorb the young men and women in the Green Army into permanent employment.
The Green Army workers were hired on contractual terms. The Leader of Majority has implored the Assembly to consider his planned Motion that would allow availability of funds to convert the staff to new permanent and pensionable terms.
Imwatok said the move would also enable the environment sector to properly monitor operations of the Green Army staff for effective service delivery.
”Mr Speaker, to give my proposal more impetus, I will bring a Motion to the House (this week) to give the Budget Committee the locus standi to allocate money for the county government to employee the Green Army workers on permanent and pensionable terms,” said the Makongeni Ward MCA.
Ng’ondi directed the Budget Committee chairman to ensure the matter coming from the leader of county government business was processed for consideration by the plenary, to be implemented y the executive.
