‘CHOSEN TO SERVE’
March 25, 2024
PRESS STATEMENT
Preamble
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) Lower Eastern Region held its Makueni County Coordinating Committee meeting here at ACK St Emmanuel Pro Cathedral Wote to reflect on the state of the County and to review the Makueni County Environment and Climate Change Act 2022 which is under review. The forum included representatives from NCCK Member Churches including ABC, ACK, PCEA, Episcopal, PEFA, and KELC.
This meeting reviewed the County performance report findings on the County government’s Budget Implementation Review Report for the Financial year 2022/23. We took note that Makueni County had low own-source revenue generation in the first year to sustain their budgets according to the controller of budget annual report. However, this has improved by a commendable increase in revenue remitted in the last 2 quarters
We applaud the efforts made by the County government to improve service provision and deliver on development projects such as the markets. Moreover, programs and opportunities for the youth venturing into ICT. These are great initiatives that ought to be devolved across Makueni. We recommend consideration of the recommendations by the controller of budgets to address challenges that derail effective and efficient budget execution.
1. Improve service delivery
We recommend that:
1. The County Treasury should ensure timely preparation and Submission of financial reports to the Office of the Controller of Budget in line with Section 166 of the PFM Act, 2012. Comprehensive financial reports should be available on county websites to enhance accountability and transparency.
2. The County to explore strategies to raise own-source revenue to ensure the approved budget is fully financed. We recommend that more efforts should be made to ensure value chains are enhanced, experts are recruited to drive economic development, and local communities are supported to establish sustainable enterprises and income-generating activities.
3. The County treasury should improve the vote book and budgetary control to ensure expenditure is within the approved budget.
4. Increase the absorption rate of the development budget as stipulated in the CIDPs and in line with people’s priorities.
5. The County leadership should address the pending bills to ensure genuine bills are paid promptly in the remaining financial year.
6. All salaries are to be processed through the IPPD system. Counties should fast-track the acquisition of Unified Personnel Numbers for their staff to scrap the use of manual payroll.
7. The national government should ensure timely disbursement of county funds to ensure effective service delivery in the Counties.
2. Cut Down on the Cost of Living
The biggest concern of the people of Kenya is the high cost of living. The soaring cost of commodities coupled with dwindling expendable income, has pushed more Kenyans below the poverty line. The collapse of businesses, both big and small, has exponentially raised unemployment levels in the country. This situation is unsustainable regardless of any macro-level economic measures being put in place.
To remedy this situation, we strongly recommend that Governors provide reprieve for the people by further lowering business permits and levies. This will provide a favorable business environment for growth, which will in turn increase tax income without unnecessarily aggravating the people.
3. Education; Safeguard the Future of our Learners
We take note of the good initiatives to advance education across the County. We applaud the Makueni County Government for upgrading their ECDE teachers’ salaries to permanent and pensionable grades. Moreover, the Makueni County Scholarship program has benefitted many bright and needy learners who sat for their KCPE in 2023 to join their secondary schools of choice on full scholarships
4. Environmental Conservation
In light of the recent enactment of the Makueni Environment and Climate Change Act 2022, we commend the County for taking proactive steps towards environmental sustainability and climate resilience. This landmark legislation underscores the County’s commitment to addressing pressing environmental challenges and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
As stakeholders in environmental conservation and climate action, we urge the County to consider the following recommendations drawn from the provisions of the Makueni Environment and Climate Change Act 2022:
1. Strengthening enforcement mechanisms: The County should prioritize the effective implementation and enforcement of environmental laws such as waste disposal to ensure compliance and accountability among all stakeholders.
2. Promoting sustainable practices such as land use practices, promoting renewable energy sources, and supporting eco-friendly initiatives will contribute to a greener and more resilient future for Makueni County.
3. Enhancing public awareness and education by investing in public awareness campaigns. Educational programs on environmental conservation and climate change will empower communities to take active roles in protecting their environment.
4. More collaboration with relevant stakeholders and local communities, will foster a holistic approach to addressing environmental challenges in Makueni County, and also reduce duplication of projects and roles.
5. Establishing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress, measure impact, and adapt strategies that will ensure effective implementation of the Act
6. We request the County government to speed up the rehabilitation of gulleys especially close to Nthunguni Primary, in Kaiti Sub County.
By embracing these recommendations and working collectively towards a sustainable future, Makueni County can set a positive example for other regions to follow. Together, we can build a resilient environment for current and future generations.
5. In Conclusion
We call upon all Makueni residents to evacuate yields from their farms to reduce post-harvest losses by utilizing proper storage technologies. We also urge farmers not to sell their yields at a throw-away price. Moreover, commence land preparation for THE March – April – May rains to increase food security.
We commit to continue praying that God will grant the Makueni County leadership wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to lead God’s people.
God Bless Makueni
God Bless Kenya
Signed on this 11th day of March 2024 at ACK St Emmanuel Pro Cathedral Makueni by:
Bishop Japheth Ndivo
NCCK Makueni CCC Chairman
