Elgeyo marakwet: Elgeyo Marakwet County's allocation from the national government is set to increase to Sh6 billion, following the introduction of an affirmative allocation designed to enhance the developmental capacity of disadvantaged counties.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Elgeyo Marakwet senator, William Kisang, pointed out that the affirmative allocation was introduced by senators using an equitable allocation formula that will be in effect from 2025 to 2029. This initiative will distribute Sh4.4 billion among 12 counties that have been receiving allocations below Sh6 billion. With this allocation, Elgeyo Marakwet County is expected to receive Sh372 million. Furthermore, the county will benefit from an additional Sh700 million from the overall equitable share, which increased from Sh387 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to Sh415 billion in the current financial year.
Senator Kisang urged the county to utilize these resources efficiently, ensuring that residents receive value for the money. He emphasized the need to avoid spreading funds too thinly across projects, which has previously resulted in incomplete or insignificant outcomes despite over a decade of devolution in the county. "This idea of allocating small monies like Sh200,000 or even Sh500,000 to projects should cease forthwith because we end up with small or incomplete projects that don't add value to our people," Kisang stated.
In response to the increased allocation, Kisang plans to convene a meeting with both the county assembly and the executive to ensure that the additional Sh700 million is directed towards financing major projects within each of the county's 20 wards. He stressed the importance of implementing projects that significantly impact the lives of residents and committed to maintaining his oversight role to prevent the misappropriation of funds brought into the county.
The Elgeyo Marakwet County Equity Development Act 2015 (EDA) mandates that the development budget be allocated to wards, allowing residents to direct funds towards various development projects. This approach, however, has led to the allocation of limited funds to projects as resources are spread to cover all areas within the wards.