Murang'a: Members of the Murang'a County Assembly have asked the County Executive to establish specific timelines for the ongoing implementation of budgeted projects and programmes. The call came after a report was tabled before the House by the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Implementation, Hillary Muigai, highlighting the current status of various initiatives and projects being implemented in the county.
According to Kenya News Agency, during the Tuesday morning session, MCAs emphasised the need for measurable progress on projects to enhance the effectiveness and reliability of their oversight functions. The ward representatives argued that clear timelines would allow them to efficiently track and evaluate the success of ongoing programmes. Muigai urged the Sectoral Committees to play an active role in following up on programmes within their respective departments.
He emphasized the need for the members of sectoral committees to ensure that projects are carried out in accordance with their original objectives and within approved budgets. Muigai also noted that the budget uptake for the reviewed period had been lower than expected. 'Select Committees must promptly follow up on departmental budget absorption rates to reduce the number of projects rolled over,' he added.
Kahumbu MCA Isaac Chefman Njoroge praised the committee for its detailed report and specifically acknowledged the successful renovation of dispensaries and the procurement of necessary equipment, which had been fully implemented. However, he stressed the importance of setting timeframes for the disbursement of funds from the National Government to devolved units. 'Knowing when to expect funding will allow us to prepare for potential issues and take contingency actions, especially in cases like the recent USAID funding crisis,' remarked Njoroge.
The report, which covered the implementation status of budgeted programmes within the departments of finance and economic planning, trade, industrialisation and tourism, and health for the 2023/2024 financial year, was seconded by Mugoiri MCA John Kamwaga.