FINANCE EXECUTIVE ADVISES MUNICIPALITIES ON THE NEED FOR FOCUSED BUDGET MAKING PROCESS

Kakamega County’s Executive Committee Member for Finance, Planning and ICT Dr. Beatrice Sabana has challenged members of the County municipal boards to embrace targeted budget making for their respective municipalities.

The CECM was speaking Wednesday afternoon during a training programme for Municipal Board Members and technical staff from the Ministry of Lands, Housing, Urban Areas and Physical Planning on Urban Governance and Management where she revealed that the County has already given financial autonomy to Kakamega and Mumias municipalities. Budget making, she said, is an essential practice that must be adopted by the boards.

“You must have a clear wishlist of what you desire to achieve during every financial year irregardless of the existing budget ceilings,” she said.

Dr. Sabana also called on the boards to provide timely reports on how funds disbursed to them by the County Treasury and other partners are utilized to enhance transparency.

“Municipalities will soon have their own vote heads which coupled with the already existing accounting officers, Municipal Managers, should improve the autonomy for our boards,” she explained.

County Secretary and Head of Public Service Madam Jacinta Aluoch Odhiambo implored on the members to enhance own source revenue and develop proposals that can will potential investors for sustainable development in the urban centres.

Chief Officer for Finance CPA Amb. James Ochami on his part called on the officers to expand their knowledge base by reading key documents such as the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act and the Procurement Act among others.

The participants were taken through an in-depth training on Governance and Management of M Municipalities by seasoned Corporate Governance and Management guru Mr. Simon Angote. Mr. Charles K’Onyango, Solomon Ambwere and Madam Mercy Kimani from the KUSP National Program Coordinating Team also took the participants through Environmental Social Systems Assessment, Management of Municipalities and Financial reporting.

Also in attendance were CECM for Lands Hon. Robert Makhanu with his Chief Officer Eng. Patrick Likavo, Chairmen of Kakamega and Mumias Municipalities Rtd. Col. Job Akhulia and Mr. Sammy Obingo respectively, Director of Physical Planning Mr. Stephen Chune and Sub-County Adminstrators Mr. Juma Omwendo and Mr. Hillary Angoche, Kakamega and Mumias Town Managers Madam Violet Ofisi and Mr. Philip Menda, among other Government officers.