Mombasa MCAs approve Sh14.3bn budget with focus on health
Mombasa County Assembly building.
The Mombasa County Assembly on Wednesday afternoon passed a Sh14.3 billion budget for the 2021/2022 fiscal year, with the health department getting the lion’s share.
The department was allocated 25 per cent of the total budget (Sh3.6 billion) followed by water, sanitation and natural resources at Sh1.23 billion, transport, infrastructure and public works at Sh1.19 billion and education, information technology and Mombasa Vision 2035 at Sh1.02 billion.
The department of agriculture, fisheries, livestock and cooperatives, the county executive and the public service board got the least allocations of Sh503.4 million, Sh386.4 million and Sh150 million, respectively.
The 2021/2022 budget is the fourth to be prepared to implement the County Integrated Development Plan 2018-2022, whose vision is to make the coastal city a vibrant modern regional commercial hub with a high standard of living for its residents.
Frere Town Ward MCA Charles Kitula, one of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s main critics, told Nation.Africa that he appreciated the budget, calling it a “people's budget”.
“This is the only budget that has captured the views of wananchi, but the challenge we do face as a county is implementation by the county executive,” he said.
Deputy Speaker Fadhili Makarani did not answer our calls.
The policies supporting the 2021/2022 budget estimates, the finance department says, aim to entrench fiscal prudence, value for money and delivery of programmes to provide high-quality services to residents of Mombasa.
The county has prioritised certain areas to complement the “Big Four” agenda, which are expected to accelerate and sustain inclusive growth, create opportunities for decent jobs, reduce poverty and income inequality and ensure that Kenya creates a healthy and food-secure society.
The overall objective is to realise sustainable, shared and equitable growth that would in return lead to accelerated job creation and improved livelihoods for citizens.
The focus of the 2021/22 budget and the medium-term plan is to enhance health services. The Covid -19 pandemic was a wake-up call for governments to ensure that health services are given utmost priority.
“In this regard, Mombasa County strives to achieve Universal Health Care and will endeavour to ensure that its citizens have access to the best possible affordable and quality health services by heavily investing in the sector,” Finance Chief Officer Asha Abdi said.
She noted that the county has a social protection strategy in place that prioritises UHC thus ultimately reducing the out-of-pocket expenditure on health by advocating the enrollment of residents in the National Health Insurance Fund.
The county hosts Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH), the largest referral facility in the region and offering specialised health services.
Mombasa has established several satellite Level 4 hospitals, which have been equipped and upgraded to improve access for residents and others from region to complement.
