IEBC, County governments among beneficiaries of Budget allocations

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich has outlined the budgetary allocations for the year 2017/2018, with the government expected to spend Kshs 2.6 trillion. He presented the 2017/2018 Budget statement to both Houses of Parliament, with IEBC and County governments among the noted beneficiaries. With the general elections drawing closer, the National Treasury CS said that IEBC is set to receive an additional allocation. “The government is committed to free and fair elections, in addition to the Kshs 19.3 billion to cater for election operations we have allocated an additional Kshs 21.4 billion in the financial year 2017/2018 to the IEBC,” said CS Rotich.

He reiterated the national government’s support to devolution, with County governments set tor receive a boost in the financial year 2017/2018, “Our support for devolution is clear, in financial year 2017/2018, the National treasury will support County governments to enhance their own sources of revenue, thus strenghtening ability to offer better services to the public.” Counties will receive Kshs 291.1 billion as shareble revenue and another Kshs 38 billion conditional allocations, “This brings the total allocation to County governments to Kshs 329.3 billion which is equivalent to 35.2% of the most recently audited revenue approved by the National Assembly,” said CS Rotich.

In the recent State of the Nation address by President Uhuru Kenyatta, he highlighted that there will be a salary review, and the CS highlighted the same in the budget statement, “We urge stakeholders to support the work of SRC (Salaries and Remuneration Commission),” said CS Rotich. He said the salaries of all public servants will be harmonized from July “Beginning July 2017, the salaries of all public servants will be harmoized as per guidelines provided by the SRC following the job evaluation exercise which resulted in upward review od salaries of teachers, doctors and public officers. Recruitment of public servants will also be affected, “In order to control the wage bill, new recruitments will remain frozen except for limited technical staff, security personnel, teachers and the health staff,” he said.