The Cost of Devolution From a National Perspective: Here is Where your Taxes are Going

The national budget was released to the nation by the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, Henry Rotich. The budget was not what most Kenyans expected though.

Numerous taxes were imposed on Kenyans including the increase of tax on mobile money transaction from 10 percent to 12 percent. There is also the 0.5 percent taxes on the income of those in the informal sector that will go towards the construction of affordable housing in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda.

But just how is each County receiving from the National Treasury? Here are the figures:

Baringo County will receive 4,983,000,000 from the national government. Bomet and Bungoma Counties will receive 5,254,800,000 and 8,758,000,000 shillings respectively.

Busia County will bag 5,828,600,000 shillings during this financial year while Elgeyo Marakwet will receive 3,624,000,000 shillings. Embu and Garissa Counties will receive 4,107,200,000 and 6,659,100,000 shillings this financial year.

Homa Bay County is set to receive 6,523,200,000. Isiolo and Kajiado Counties are set to receive 3,775,000,000 and 5,768,200,000 shillings respectively this financial year.

Kericho will receive 5,224,600,000 shillings, Kiambu 9,664,000,000, Kilifi 9,950,900,000, Kirinyaga 4,409,200,000, Kisii 7,429,200,000, Kisumu 6,553,400,000, Kitui 8,652,300,000 while Kwale will bag 7,248,000,000.

Laikipia County will receive 4,499,800,000, Lamu County 2,476,400,000, Machakos 7,399,000,000, Makueni 6,825,200,000, Mandera 9,739,500,000, Marsabit 6,583,600,000, Meru 7,701,000,000 while Migori and Mombasa will receive 6,462,800,000 and 8,154,000,000 shillings respectively.

Murang’a County has been allocated 6,191,000,000. Nairobi County took the lion’s share of this financial year’s allocation with 15,402,000,000 shillings while Nakuru will receive 9,271,400,000. Nandi County will receive 5,103,800,000, Narok County 6,523,200,000, Nyamira County 4,620,600,000, Nyandarua County 4,771,600,000 while Nyeri and Samburu Counties will receive 4,952,800,000 and 3,805,200,000 shillings respectively.

Siaya County will bag 5,526,600,000 shillings. Taita Taveta will get 3,895,800,000, Tana River 5,345,400,000, Tharaka Nithi 3,684,400,000, Trans Nzoia 5,647,400,000 while Turkana and Uasin Gishu Counties will receive 10, 071,700,000 and 5,707,800,000 shillings respectively.

Uasin Gishu County is set to receive 5,707,800,000 shillings while Vihiga County will receive 4,409,200,000 shillings. Wajir and West Pokot will get 8,138,900,000 and 4,741,400,000 shillings respectively.

In total, all the county governments are supposed to receive 302,000,000 shillings this financial year. Question: Where do all this money go? Are you receiving the service closer to the taxes you are paying?