Garissa passes Sh7bn budget 3 months late

Saturday October 15, 2016

Garissa county majority leader Ibrahim Ali addresses the press on ursday /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Garissa MCAs finally unanimously passed the Sh7 billion budget on Thursday evening. This is after rejecting it in June.

They had rejected the estimates, saying they exceeded the ceiling set in the County Fiscal Strategy Paper.

The MCAs also said programmes to be launched deviated from the county’s development plan.

The Treasury had been accused of failing to verify debt levels and not submitting estimates for approval.

Budget and Appropriations Committee chairman Abdirahman Mohamed presented a report on Thursday showing the Treasury had addressed the issues.

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Majority leader Ibrahim Ali said the Treasury has submitted a memorandum explaining the reasons for the deviations. “It has also given a comprehensive programme-based budget,” he said.

Ali urged the executive to fast-tack the payment of contractors and other service providers, adding that it was one of residents’ main concerns.

The assembly recommended the Treasury ensure the exchequer releases cash to viable projects.

The rejection of the estimates caused a political impasse between the executive and the assembly.

This made the Controller of Budget take over, based on the Public Finance Management Act.

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