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By Antynet Ford
Nairobi’s Kshs42.3 billion budget for 2023/2024 is the first budget in the Administration of Governor Johnson Sakaja.
In a brief on Thursday, 29, 2023 Finance and Economic Planning CEC Charles Kerich stated that the budget will be focused on infrastructure, health care, environment, school-going children, and the youth, and expanding the tax base for more revenue to finance development
“This Budget is premised on the need to address challenges that the people of Nairobi are facing. Special focus will be placed on the interventions that touch on infrastructure, health care, environment, school-going children, the youth, and expanding the tax base for more revenue to finance development,” Kerich told Taarifa News.
The County Finance boss said strategies will involve putting more focus on sectors envisaged to have the largest impact on the livelihood of Nairobians.
This includes:
The school feeding program that is set to improve the nutritional status of the learners and also encourage students to attend school leading to increased enrollment, performance, and transition to higher levels of education.
The County has targeted to feed about 250,000 children in the next financial year.
Kerich said they have given priority to areas that face storm water and poor drainage by allocating a budget for the completion of the ongoing road works.
“To ease movement within the county, we have given priority to some areas for this sector of mobility to enhance pedestrian safety and connectivity through the construction and rehabilitation of roads, street lighting, storm water drainage, and bridges. Completion of ongoing road works will be targeted as a key priority, together with rehabilitation of already completed works,” he stated.
In order to enhance access to education, and to support the National Government’s effort to ensure a 100% transition to secondary schools, Nairobi County Government has been providing bursaries to support needy students and has promised to continue with this endeavor.
He said they have procured 27 tippers, 10 skip loaders, 24 refuse compactors, 3 bulldozers, and 4 backhoes trucks, and increased human capital by employing 3,000 support staff to undertake cleaning in the city and are planning to increase the daily waste management to 3,200 tons per day.
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“On the beautification and greening of Nairobi, we have a plan to plant an additional 1Million trees and continue with the beautification of our green spaces including the completion of Uhuru Park and Jevanjee Gardens construction. We shall also repair the dumpsite weighbridge and install as well as install litter bins in the city,” he added.
The health sector will have an increase in stocking equipping, construction, and rehabilitation of health facilities.
Kerich added that the county has also embarked on the renovation of County owned rental houses not earmarked for redevelopment in the near future.
The renovations are being carried out in Buruburu, Jamhuri, and Kariobangi North, Huruma, and Uhuru estate in a bid to ensure that tenants living in county-owned houses live in conducive environments.