Nairobi Youth to benefit from Sh826 million set aside from Sakaja’s Sh43.56 billion budget for 2024/2025

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has presented his budget for the fiscal year 2024/2025, where he details his plans for the City County of Nairobi.

In a significant move, Nairobi County announced that there will be no increase in fees and charges for the 2024/2025 financial year.

Instead, the county will focus on enhancing revenue collection by ensuring businesses comply with licensing requirements.

The decision aims to alleviate financial pressure on residents while still funding critical development projects.

The budget presented to the County Assembly of Nairobi on June 26, by the Finance and Planning County Executive Committee member, Charles Kerich, surpasses the first budget by over a billion shillings.

It is the highest-ever budget to have been approved by the county.

In the budget, Sh29.3 billion will go to recurrent expenditure, while the remaining Sh14.2 billion will go to development.

“Out of this the projected national transfers amount to Sh22.5 billion which includes grants while the total projected Own Source Revenues amount to Sh20.06 billion and hospitals FIF of Sh1 billion,” Kerich said.

In the allocations, the County Assembly took the lion’s share of the budget at Sh3.56 billion, which will go to both recurrent and development expenditures. Last year, the Assembly was allocated Sh3.25 billion for its operations.

Infrastructure development has been allocated Sh2.9 billion, which is a Sh300 million increase from last year’s Sh2.6 billion.

“The priority area for this Sector will be to enhance pedestrian safety and connectivity through the construction and rehabilitation of roads, street lighting, stormwater drainage and bridges.

“Completion of ongoing road works will be targeted as a key priority, together with rehabilitation of already completed works.”

The Ward Development Programme will receive Sh1.95 billion, the same allocation as in the last budget.

Another Sh1 billion will go towards the construction, equipping and rehabilitation of Health Facilities to ensure affordable health services. This is a drop from Sh1.1 billion allocated in 2023/2024.

Some Sh200 million has been set aside for equipping and stoking of sufficient non-pharmaceuticals to the County Health Facilities, a reduction by half from what was allocated last year.

The County administration has allocated Sh800 million for Public Primary Schools and ECD centres feeding. This is a Sh200,000 reduction from the 2023/2024 allocation.

The County targets to feed about 250,000 children through the program.

“This program will improve the nutritional status of the learners and also encourage students to attend school leading to an increase in enrolment, performance and transition to higher levels of education,” Kerich said.

To support talent development among the youth, Sh826 million has been set aside for the construction and rehabilitation of stadiums in Nairobi County.

Last year, only Sh5.54 million was allocated for this exercise.

Sh857 million will go to the wards for the provision of bursaries to needy students.

“Out of this Sh7 million will be allocated to every ward and the balance will be available to sponsor all continuing students under the Executive Scholarship Programme.”

The Finance CEC said that Sh838 million will go towards the construction and rehabilitation of various markets within the county. 

This marks an increase from the Sh780 million allocated last year.

Some Sh287 million has been allocated for the completion of construction of Borough offices, Sub-County and Ward offices, Kerich said.

“The Boroughs will be the focal point for planning and will provide a ‘One Stop Shop’ where the residents can access all the services offered by the Nairobi City County. This will ultimately reduce the time taken for Nairobians to get the services and ultimately the cost of doing business,” he said.

Also, Sh120 million has been allocated towards the construction of fire stations in Kangemi, Jamhuri, and Gikomba.