This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
On Monday, April 20, 2020, Speaker Erastus Lokaale announced that the Turkana County Assembly had approved a supplementary budget allocating Sh667 million towards Covid-19 emergency response.
The funds will be allocated to the ministries of water, health, and public service and disaster management, with the ministry of public service and disaster management receiving the lion's share of Sh441.2 million to provide relief food to vulnerable people.
“We made this decision because the majority of our people are poor so we needed to cushion them during this crisis,” said Speaker Lokaale.
The ministry of health will receive Sh159.3 million, which will be used to purchase essential commodities such as facemasks, ventilators, and other equipment. The ministry of water will receive Sh67 million to enhance hygiene standards by ensuring boreholes are working and for water tankering in areas without water.
To ensure accountability, the county assembly has formed an ad-hoc committee to oversee the utilization of funds meant to address the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaker Lokaale, who leads the committee, said that they are keen to ensure that funds meant to fight the pandemic are not embezzled.
“We understand that in times of crisis like these people can use the opportunity to do funny things that is why we are very keen to ensure funds are utilised to help the wananchi as intended,” said Speaker Lokaale.
