Give Counties Freedom To Use Ksh 17 Billion – CRA

The Commission on Revenue Allocation between the national government and county governments has come out to supports the push by governors to be allowed to spend 17.02 billion shillings that come as conditional grants from the national government.

The conditional grants from the national government to some of the counties are expected to support Level Five hospitals, roads, and development of youth polytechnics, and not allowed to be diverted into other functions within the county.

“Over the last eight years of devolution, the national government has provided conditional grants to the counties targeted at the realization of specific national policies in the areas of health, roads, and education,” stated CRA in an issue on Tuesday.

Governors now want the grants to be unconditional that they are free to choose which projects to put the cash on as compared to where it is dictated by the national government. Not all counties are eligible for the grants but those that meet certain conditions.

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CRA wants the national government to grant governors their wish for it will help in boosting development in other sectors. If the recommendation is implemented, governors benefitting from the grants will have the freedom to choose which projects the cash should go to.

“Given that the functions of health, roads, and education are concurrent functions with clear responsibilities between the two levels of governments, the commission recommends that these conditional grants be allocated to county governments unconditionally as part of the county governments’ equitable share,” said CRA.

Governors, led by their chair Governor Wycliffe Oparanya have among other things been calling on the national government to release funds meant for the counties as it was hurting service delivery. The national government is behind schedule by two months.

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