Kirinyaga County Budget Review and Outlook Paper 2014

Abstract

This first edition of the County Budget Review and Outlook Paper (CBROP), prepared by the County Treasury, outlines the progress made by the Kirinyaga County government. The CBROP highlights key challenges facing the county as it plans and implements the development priorities. The CBROP takes a critical look at the underlying economic issues and proposes various options that should guide the process of budget formulation for the 2015/16 Financial Year. Prudent financial management in the county will be determined by achieving a balance between developing institutions and investing in productive sectors. Importantly, the pace at which the county shall adhere to fiscal discipline amid the high recurrent expenditure expected to be incurred in the 2014/15 financial year in setting up county systems remains a crucial factor in determining the pace of future growth of the country. In addition, the huge recurrent related expenses especially on wage bill will continue to be a major challenge as the implementation of devolved system of governance sets in. Therefore, the county’s growth trajectory will largely depend on how fast programme based budget is implemented as well as how quickly people and business get to full capacity and produce at optimum levels. The 2015/16 budget for Kirinyaga County must therefore strike a delicate balance of prioritizing critical expenditure subject to resource constraints; promoting the functionality of the devolved system of government to spur economic growth and enhancing poverty reduction and employment creation.