Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos has accused the county assembly of mismanaging nearly Sh600 million, triggering a financial dispute that implicates President Uhuru Kenyatta's recent critique of devolved governance. The president highlighted the issue during a conference in Kirinyaga County, though he did not name the specific county at the time.
Tolgos confirmed the allegations in a statement, acknowledging the assembly's oversight role while arguing that its Sh566 million operations budget disproportionately hampers development. He cited a proposed Sh120 million reduction in the 2019-20 County Fiscal Strategy Paper to redirect funds toward projects like street lighting and vocational training.
The county executive's budget allocation of Sh837 million for development contrasts with the assembly's Sh566 million for operations. Tolgos claimed the assembly's oversight expenditures—primarily Sh278 million—have stalled infrastructure and service delivery. However, assembly members, including Soy South representative Jonah Tanui, defended the budget, stating it covers salaries, fuel, and contractual services for a staff of 99.
Tanui argued that focusing on the assembly's budget would not resolve the county's financial challenges, as the total budget exceeds Sh5 billion. Meanwhile, Tolgos reiterated calls for equitable funding from the Commission on Revenue Allocation, citing systemic under-resourcing of smaller counties.
