Mombasa, KENYA: The health sector is set to benefit from the 2017/2018 Mombasa county budget estimate, with an estimated amount of sh.2.9 billion set aside in order to improve the health services and developments in the county.
The budget is estimated to include all the Mombasa county projects, whereby the gross recurrent estimates is at sh.7 billion and that of gross development is at sh.3 billion.
The Tourism sector is set to get sh.180 million, Education sh.1.3 billion, sh.1.4 billion to cater for Transport and Infrastructure, while sh.235 million for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
Water and Natural resources sector has been allocated sh.123 million and sh.551 million for Youths,Gender and Sports.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday at Tononoka Hall in Mombasa,Mohammed Hatmi, Finance and budget committee chairperson of Mombasa county assembly, said the budget went through its prescribed procedures and person’s before it was published.
“The budget included the required process as all the controllers of budget were involved in its implementation,” he explained.
Hatmi added that the budget is channeling the implementation of Mombasa county projects.
A section of Mombasa residents have however faulted the budget, lamenting that it didn’t meet most of the concerns of county residents.
Kariro Ngumbao, a Bamburi resident, said the water project and services were to be given the first priority because it’s a chronic problem in the county.
“We always use salt water from boreholes,the county government should check on this.” Said Kariro.
Peter Karanja, a Shanzu resident, said the budget lacks accuracy,accountability and openness because it does not specify the exact area of concentration to be dealt with.
“Youths and unemployment could be given a first hand but surprisingly little has been estimated about it,” he said.
The total Mombasa 2016/2017 budget estimate is sh.9 billion.
Mombasa county economic growth has been affected by a lot of challenges, particularly insecurity and its impact on the Tourism sector.
