County plans to spend Sh160m on lounge, canteens

Kiambu County Assembly is planning to spend Sh160 million to construct a lounge and canteens for the ward representatives and staff in the 2018/2019 financial year.

The county assembly, according to the County Fiscal Strategy Paper for 2018/2019, is also planning to spend a further Sh105 million on the construction and equipping of the Speaker’s residence.

While tabling the document on Wednesday, MCA Daniel Ngure, who is the House Finance committee chairman, said after extensive deliberations with the county executive in charge of Finance, Sh55 million will be allocated for the Speaker’s residence and the balance of Sh50 million to be released in subsequent budgets.

LOUNGE
According to the document, which the Nation has seen, the assembly, which is projected to get an annual allocation of an estimated Sh1.2 billion, plans to put up a members’ lounge worth Sh80 million.

The assembly – which currently has 92 members, 60 elected and 32 nominated to meet the two-thirds gender rule – is proposing the construction of two canteens, one exclusively for the MCAs and the other for the staff, both at a cost of Sh80 million.

For the Speaker’s residence, the County Assembly Service Board, which is chaired by Speaker Stephen Ndicho, proposed acquisition of one acre of land, construction and equipping of the official Speaker’s house.

This, the committee said, is in line with a circular issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission on October 24, 2016.

RENOVATION
Besides the leisure facilities and the Speaker’s residence, the County Assembly Service Board has also prevailed upon the House committee, while doing the estimates, to consider allocating Sh90 million to be spent on face-lifting of the assembly.

According to the document, Sh70 million will be spent on lighting, repairing and installation of CCTV cameras on pathways used to access the assembly precincts, while Sh20 million will be spent on renovation of the assembly offices.

This will be the second time the premises, which before the new dispensation housed the defunct Kiambu County Council, will be undergoing a face-lift.

REVENUE

In the last term, the premises underwent major renovations, which included rehabilitation of the chambers, construction of a parking lot and erecting of a perimeter stone wall.

During the financial year, which kicks off in July, the county has projected its annual revenue at Sh15 billion, whereby Sh9.26 billion will be from the equitable share, Sh3.6 billion from grants and Sh2.6 billion from local revenue.  

Out of the projection, Sh10.086 billion will be spent on recurrent expenditure while Sh5.9 billion will be spent on development.