Key issues that needs redress in the draft budget estimates 2023-2024

The Budget Café Reviews on Budget Estimates 2023-2024 brought together key Busia County government officers drawn from the Department of Finance and economic planning, Budget Directorate representatives, CECM Health and sanitation Representative, Chair budget Busia County Assembly, Legal Advisor of Busia county Assembly, Fiscal analyst of Busia county Assembly, MCA Bukhayo west, Media, CSOs and Budget champions. The aim of the meeting was to share feedback on the key findings/issues noted in the draft budget estimates that needs to be addressed so that the budgetary allocations aligns with citizens priorities.

The following were the major revelations noted during deliberations on the draft budget estimates 2023-2024.

Lack of justification for the increase and decrease in expenditures in various sectors, which deviated from the proposed ceilings in the draft CFSP 2023-2024. Additionally, sub-programs also experienced budget cut-downs without providing the necessary information on why there were budget cut-downs.

Lack of connection between the draft PBB and other budget documents such as the ADP 2023/24, CIDP 2023/2027, and even the CFSP 2023/24. The budget documents have only been mentioned at the forward section; however, the relationship between the priorities as per the CIDP, ADP, and CFSP cannot be ascertained because up to date; the CIDP 2023-2027, ADP 2023-2024 & CFSP 2023-2024 has not been approved.

The draft budget estimates in some sectors did not provide specific names and locations, yet there were huge budgetary allocations, which poses a big challenge to track the budget implementation process.

Lack of prioritization of the stalled projects, coupled with the introduction of new projects, poses a challenge on whether the stalled projects will be completed.

The mismatch in the budgetary resource allocations and citizen’s priorities. This is evident in the department of health and sanitation where the draft budget has proposed an allocation of only Kshs. 71,319,705 towards medical drugs, an amount which is not sufficient to supply medical drugs to the Busia County Referral Hospital (BCHR) alone. This therefore poses a risk of increased cost of access to health especially to the majority poor citizens.

The previous negative consequences of of Budgetary allocations not aligning to the needs of its citizens

What Needs to be done to address the key concerns so that budgetary allocations reflects the needs of citizens

There is need for the county government to utilize the historical information to make informed decisions that is backed with clear data during budgeting process

There is need for the county government to update all there revenue streams and activate them to generate incomes that will boost increase local revenue collections

There is need for the county government to ensure that the budget reflects and aligns the priorities of citizens

There is need for the county government to prioritize the completion of stalled projects before initiating new ones

There is need for the county government to provide clear information to justify the budget expenditures increase and reductions across the sectors

“CEDC is on a mission to ensure that the county government budgetary resource allocations reflects the needs of it’s citizens. Together let us collaborate and enhance fiscal transparency in Busia county”.