By DOUGLAS DINDI
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa could spend only Ksh2.6 billion on development in the final year of his first term, raising concerns over the implementation of key projects across the county.
Highlights of the proposed Kakamega County budget for the 2026/27 financial year, which is currently undergoing public participation, indicate a likely budget deficit of Ksh2.2 billion that could significantly affect development programmes.
An analysis of the proposed budget shows that of the Ksh13.2 billion expected from the National Treasury, about Ksh11.9 billion will be spent on salaries and recurrent expenditure, leaving only Ksh1.3 billion for development.
The County Treasury has prepared a Ksh16.7 billion budget and proposes to spend Ksh5.4 billion on development, representing 30.8 per cent of the total budget. However, with only Ksh1.3 billion already guaranteed, the county is banking on grants from development partners and increased local revenue collection to bridge the gap.
The Treasury expects to receive Ksh1.3 billion in grants and collect Ksh2.2 billion in own-source revenue to finance the development budget. However, in the current 2025/26 financial year, the county has not received any grants and has managed to collect only Ksh1.3 billion in local revenue.
Based on the current performance of own-source revenue and the absence of donor funding, there are fears that development projects could face funding challenges in the coming financial year.
According to the Treasury’s budget statement, the county expects to raise Ksh13.2 billion from the equitable share of national revenue, Ksh2.2 billion from local revenue collection and Ksh1.3 billion from grants.
The health sector has been allocated the largest share of the development budget at Ksh1.4 billion, followed by youth, sports, culture and social services at Ksh628 million. Agriculture and roads have been allocated Ksh537 million and Ksh529 million respectively.
For the fifth consecutive year, the water and environment sector received the least allocation at Ksh139.1 million despite Governor Barasa’s 2022 campaign pledge to provide water to every household in Kakamega under the “Amatsi Khumuliango” programme. The education sector was allocated Ksh299 million.
County Assembly Finance and Budget Committee Chairman Gildon Shioso defended the reduction of the budget from Ksh18.1 billion to Ksh16.7 billion, saying the county wanted to adopt a realistic approach.
“We factored Ksh800 million in the 2025/26 budget as grants from development partners, but we have not received a single cent to date. We also projected to collect Ksh2.2 billion in own-source revenue, yet we have only managed Ksh1.3 billion so far,” said Shioso.
Despite the poor performance, the county has retained the same revenue targets for the 2026/27 financial year.
The proposed budget also allocates minimal funding to several major projects initiated before the 2022 General Election, including Shamakhubu Level Four Hospital, Madala Tea Factory, Malava Dairy Plant, the Ingotse–Navakholo–Chebuyusi Road, Butali–Chekulo Road and the Lurambi–Nyayo Tea Zone–Shivakala Road.
Meanwhile, Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital (KCTRH) and Bukhungu Stadium continue to receive county funding despite public pronouncements that the national government had taken over their completion. The two projects have been allocated Ksh80 million and Ksh50 million respectively.
The budget also proposes allocating Ksh1 billion to ward-based development projects, a move seen as an attempt to strengthen grassroots support as Governor Barasa prepares to seek re-election for a second and final term.
However, residents have criticised the budget, saying it lacks tangible solutions and relies on unrealistic revenue projections.
Sheila Okumbi, a youth representative from Lurambi, questioned the rationale behind projecting an additional Ksh3.5 billion from grants and local revenue when the county had failed to meet similar targets in the current financial year.
She also expressed concern that several major projects launched more than five years ago remain incomplete and risk being carried forward into the next administration due to delayed implementation.
