By Christopher Omondi
The Kisumu County Assembly firmly approved a substantial Ksh 14,460,638,805 budget for the 2026/2027 financial year on Tuesday, 30th June 2026, setting the stage for the execution of crucial development projects throughout the county. Alongside this, the Assembly passed the Kisumu County Appropriations Bill, 2026, which empowers the spending of public funds.
After a thorough debate, the motion was led by Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairperson and Kondele MCA Hon. Joachim Oketch. Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o pressed the Assembly to strategically direct resources towards high-impact sectors. He pinpointed Health and Infrastructure as top priorities, emphasizing the urgent need to complete ongoing flagship projects and operationalize the facilities already in place.
“Accordingly, the budget has prioritized the completion of ongoing projects, clearance of pending bills, and the implementation of significant flagship programmes and projects,” highlighted the Governor. Residents closely following the budget proceedings expressed a strong desire for concrete outcomes, particularly in health, roads, and water initiatives.
In Manyatta, resident Lilian Akinyi voiced the community’s frustration: “We keep hearing big budgets every year. This time we want to see drugs in hospitals and the KISIP roads completed. That Ksh 5.9B for development must be felt in the estates.” Boda operators in Kondele welcomed the infrastructure focus but raised alarms over pending bills. James Otieno emphasized, “If contractors are not paid, projects will stall again. Clearing that Ksh 587M is good news for our people who did county jobs.”
Kisumu County Budget and Economic Forum (KUBEFO), a CBO monitoring county spending, applauded the budget’s priorities while asserting the need for accountability. “We commend the Assembly and the public for their engagement during public participation. The focus on finishing projects and operationalizing facilities is precisely what citizens have been demanding,” stated the KUBEFO Coordinator.
The organization called for quarterly budget implementation reports to ensure the effective utilization of the Ksh 5.9 billion development allocation. It demanded value-for-money audits on flagship health and infrastructure projects and the safeguarding of Own Source Revenue (OSR) targets to prevent the over-taxation of small traders while enhancing the Ksh 2.3 billion in own source revenue. “With Ksh 8.5 billion allocated for recurrent expenses, citizens will remain vigilant to ensure that development is not overshadowed. Transparency will foster trust,” the coordinator added.
Assembly Speaker Hon. Elisha Jack Oraro commended the MCAs for their vigorous debate and expressed gratitude to the public for their contributions during the participation process. He asserted that the approved budget reaffirms the Assembly’s dedication to “robust oversight, prudent management of public resources, transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of sustainable development for the people of Kisumu County.”
The Bill is now set to be forwarded to Governor Nyong’o for necessary assent.
