Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has received a shot in the arm in performance of four transferred Nairobi County functions after its allocation was increased by Sh800 million.
The Major General Mohamed Badi-led administration was allocated Sh27.2 billion to enable it perform four transferred county functions in the financial year ending June 30, 2022.
The functions include health services, transport; public works, utilities and ancillary services, and county planning and development services.
In the current financial year ending June 30, 2021. NMS was allocated Sh26.4 billion. Sh15.95 billion was to come from Nairobi County government equitable revenue while Sh9.7 billion would be generated by county.
Reading the Sh3.6 trillion budget yesterday, National Treasury and Planning Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani said NMS will receive Sh27.2 billion out of which Sh18 billion will go towards recurrent expenditure while Sh9.2 billion will be spent on development.
Construction of footbridges
Consequently, the agency, which is now a department under the Executive Office of the President, has taken Sh34.81 billion, 78 per cent of the office’s budget.
Further, Sh100 million has been allocated to NMS to be spent on urban dignity in Nairobi for Nairobi Metropolitan Service improvement project.
“To support the NMS in realising urban dignity in Nairobi County, Sh100 million has been set aside for Nairobi Metropolitan Service improvement project and Sh111.2 million for construction of footbridges,” he said.
In the current financial year, NMS was allocated an additional Sh1.5 billion for Mukuru informal settlement renewal programme.
According to articles 5.2 and 5.3 of the Deed of Transfer of functions entered between the city county government and the national government in February, 2020, funding for each transferred function shall be determined by the national government in consultation with the county government.
However, the allocation by Mr Yatani is Sh6 billion more than what Nairobi County Assembly has approved in its revised County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP) for the next financial year.
In the CFSP, NMS has been allocated Sh21.2 billion for the four transferred functions with Sh12.05 billion will go to recurrent expenditure and Sh9.12 billion for development.
The budget proposal is inclusive of Sh1.5 billion Ward Development Fund which was been transferred by the county legislators last year from the office of the governor to NMS.
This was a slash of Sh5.9 billion from the Sh27.1 billion allocation in the current financial year ending June 30, 2021.
