Counties miss development target, allocate only 24pc of budgets in 2023/24
Nairobi spent only 10.3 per cent of its budget on development, followed by Kisii at 13.7 per cent, Mombasa at 16.2 per cent, Kisumu at 17.5 per cent, Taita Taveta at 18.6 per cent, and Kiambu at 19.4 per cent.
Despite a legal requirement for counties to allocate at least 30 per cent of their budgets to development, a new report reveals that only Sh109.2 billion or 24.4 per cent of total county expenditure in the 2023/2024 financial year was directed toward development.
Kilifi, Narok, Turkana, Nakuru, Mandera and Kitui counties emerged as the highest spenders, each allocating over Sh4 billion to development projects.
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According to the Kenya Data and Statistics report, county governments collectively spent Sh109.2 billion on development, representing just 24.4 per cent of their total expenditure and falling short of the 30 per cent minimum requirement set by law.
Kilifi County led the rankings with Sh4.7 billion allocated to development, followed closely by Narok with Sh4.6 billion, Turkana at Sh4.4 billion, and Mandera with Sh3.9 billion.
Other counties with notable allocations include Nakuru (Sh4.4 billion), Kitui (Sh3.8 billion), Kiambu (Sh3.5 billion), Nairobi (Sh3.3 billion), Wajir (Sh3.2 billion), and Bungoma (Sh3.1 billion).
While these counties made substantial investments in development, others like Nairobi, Kiambu, and Wajir allocated significantly less.
Nairobi spent only 10.3 per cent of its budget on development, followed by Kisii at 13.7 per cent, Mombasa at 16.2 per cent, Kisumu at 17.5 per cent, Taita Taveta at 18.6 per cent, and Kiambu at 19.4 per cent.
“The total amount of money spent on development by the counties since the start of devolution in FY 2013/2014 is Sh1.028 trillion. Between 2023 and 2024, the counties spent a total of Sh109.2 billion.”
Devolution, introduced through Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, began channelling budgetary allocations to counties in 2013. Since then, counties have spent varying amounts on development.
According to the report, Mandera leads with a total of Sh47.8 billion spent over the years, followed by Kakamega (Sh43.5 billion), Turkana (Sh39 billion), Nairobi (Sh38.7 billion), and Kilifi (Sh36.3 billion).
Some counties did manage to meet or exceed the 30 per cent development expenditure threshold.
Marsabit had the highest proportion of its budget allocated to development at 38.6 per cent.
Narok followed with 34 per cent, and both Homa Bay and Mandera each spent 33.3 per cent on development. Others above the threshold included Siaya, Trans Nzoia, Kitui, Kilifi, and Turkana.
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