Covid-19: How counties spent millions on unrelated things
Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakango whose report revealed how counties spent Covid-19 funds.
What you need to know:
- The report before the Senate ad hoc committee shows Kilifi spent Sh20 million on certified seeds.
- Nyandarua, on the other hand, spent Sh1.4 million on assorted fodder seed.
Nyamira County spent Sh33.16 million with Sh790,000 going into lunch allowances for officers manning roadblocks.
Covid-19: How counties spent millions on unrelated things
A report by the Controller of Budget has revealed how some counties spent their Covid-19 budgets on goods and services unrelated to the fight against the coronavirus.
The report before the Senate ad hoc committee shows Kilifi spent Sh20 million on certified seeds.
Hospital transfers
Nyandarua, on the other hand, spent Sh1.4 million on assorted fodder seed, Sh1.7 million for assorted crop seeds and Sh2 million for 400 bags of 50-kg certified potato seed.
Kilifi also spent Sh10 million on bar soap and a further Sh21 million on beans. Nyandarua spent Sh24 million on hospital transfers, Sh300,000 on sanitary materials and Sh253,995 on airtime.
Tharaka Nithi County used the money to clear its Sh83 million pending bills.
Trans Nzoia County spent Sh77,000 on airtime, Sh16,300 on bulk SMS services and Sh28,000 on allowances for the burial team.
The CoB’s report notes only Isiolo had a clear budget showing the quantity of items bought and the prices per item. For instance, the county spent Sh600,000 for radio learning programmes. Each of the 20 lessons cost Sh30,000.
Mandera County spent Sh577.6 million of the Sh674 million allocation. It spent Sh2.3 million on bar soap, Sh656,400 on pillows, Sh600,000 on office chairs and Sh550,000 on brooms.
Meru spent Sh5.2 million on cellular linen.
Branded bags
Of the Sh311.97 million that Nakuru spent, Sh9.4 million went towards buying branded bags, reflector jackets, washing points and branded jumbo umbrellas.
About Sh5.2 million was used for awareness and conferences while Sh242.4 million was used to buy soap and foodstuff.
Nyamira County spent Sh33.16 million with Sh790,000 going into lunch allowances for officers manning roadblocks.
Out of the Sh42.5 million budget, Tana River spent Sh8.79 million.
Of the Sh245.94 million Kiambu County spent, about Sh60 million was used to build prefabricated wards at Ruiru Level Four Hospital with Sh30 million used on buying beds, accessories and equipment at the hospital.
Murang’a spent Sh4.2 million on sanitizers, Sh4 million on homemade face masks, with ethanol costing Sh2.25 million.
In total, the county spent Sh95.8 million of the Sh214.9 million budget with Sh60.1 million committed for other acquisitions.
Although Nairobi City County had Sh576.68 million at its disposal, the funds were not transferred to the health sector special purpose account by the close of the 2019/20 financial year.
They remained unused in the County Revenue Fund at the Central Bank of Kenya.
