County Assembly of Kakamega

28/07/2026

ASSEMBLY TAKES ON EXECUTIVE OVER FUNDING OF COUNTY TOP HOSPITAL

County Assembly Committee on Health Services on Tuesday engaged officials from the Department of Health Services in what appeared to be a way of finding a solution to issues affecting operations at the County General Hospital (CGH).

The two departments are headed by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) CPA Livingstone Imbali and his counterpart Mr. Benjamin Andama, respectively.

Chaired by Idakho North Member of the County Assembly (MCA) Hon. Gladys Omukongolo, the Committee demanded clarification on how much was appropriated and released to the CGH in the Financial Year (FY) 2025/2026 and an explanation for the soaring pending bills on the Utilities Vote Head.

“We are here to look at issues being raised in the health sector at the CGH regarding finance,”said the Chairperson in her opening remarks, adding, “and therefore we need to do the right thing and help our people,” she added.

Her sentiments were echoed by Kisa North MCA Hon. James Etabale, who noted that the said facility was on the verge of collapsing and that the blame lay with both the Assembly and the Executive, calling for a better way to salvage the situation.

In response, the CEC in charge of Finance informed the Committee that there was a budget for the facility in the year under review up to the Supplementary Budget.

“I did facilitate the CGH,” noted Mr. Andama. “I provide the budget, but the real utilization is done by the Consumer Ministry,” reaffirmed the CEC.

According to the County Budget Director, CPA Herman Dennis Lusuli, who accompanied the CEC, the Health Department was allocated Kshs. 1.295 billion, out of which the Sub-County MOH, County Medical Operations, Health Centers, and Dispensaries utilized Kshs. 20.3 million, Kshs. 27.5 million, Kshs. 60 million, and Kshs. 82.8 million respectively.

Public Health utilized Kshs. 315.6 million while the Health Services sub-sector had Kshs. 788 million.

CPA Lusuli told the Committee that the CGH has no budget directly from the County Treasury and that it has to be funded under the Facility Improvement Fund (FIF) according to the FIF Act, an observation that was sharply objected to by the Committee, with members arguing that FIF was only supposed to supplement hospital funding.

“This is misleading,” stated Hon. Kevin Mahelo. “FIF is supposed to supplement 30%,” clarified the Butali/Chegulo Ward representative.

In a quick rejoinder, the CEC for Health, CPA Livingstone Imbali, told the Committee that CGH was the main victim, with pending bills skyrocketing to over Kshs. 300 million, citing water and sewerage services pending bills at Kshs. 36 million.

“Our facilities need an equitable share of resources because they have not reached the level of being independent,” decried CPA Imbali.

According to Medical Superintendent Dr. Lamba Christian, CGH's pending bills stand at Kshs. 317 million; SHA owes the hospital Kshs. 217 million while NHIF has Kshs. 121 million.

The Chief Officer in charge of Medical Services, Dr. David Alila, attributed the ongoing crisis at CGH to very low monthly collections and receivables (about Kshs. 30 million), which are far below the required monthly operational costs of Kshs. 83 million.

The CEC further proposed two ways of funding CGH to help offset the alarming pending bills: one being capitation by releasing funds appropriated in the budget to CGH or allocating funds to specific departmental vote heads to allow them to pay the bills.

CPA Lusuli opined that it was important to know how much it costs to run CGH, Level IV, and Level III hospitals and that once the variables are known, it will guide how to budget for them.

The Committee resolved that the budget for the CGH should be included in the 1st Supplementary Budget for FY 2026/2027.

Regarding the purchase of ambulances, the Committee demanded answers as to why they had not been purchased despite an allocation of Kshs. 40 million, with an additional amount of the same figure in the Supplementary Budget.

There was a stalemate as the two departments from the Executive could not explain the whereabouts of the said amount. The CEC of Finance, in what appeared to be a blame game, stated that facilitation was made but that the money was not utilized, while Chief Officer of Medical Services Dr. Alila noted that, as an accounting officer, he made the requisition but was informed that there were specific specifications to be met.

It was resolved that written correspondence from the two departments on this matter be provided to the Committee.

As per the concerns at the mortuary, the Committee was informed that the CGH mortuary has its own bank accounts to enable the funds to run its operations, and on average, collections range between Kshs. 2.2 million and 2.3 million. Fifty percent of the collections is retained at the CGH mortuary, while the remaining half goes to support those in Likuyani and Butere until they become independent.

Present at the meeting was the Chief Officer in charge of Public Health, Ms. Rose Muhanda, among other officers from various departments.

The Committee is scheduled to conduct an oversight visit to the three mortuaries next week to ascertain their status.

28/07/2026

21/07/2026

FINANCE COMMITTEE VISITS COUNTY TOP HOSPITAL AND MUMIAS SUGAR MILL OVER WATER BILLS

The County Assembly of Kakamega Committee on Finance and Economic Planning conducted an oversight visit on Tuesday to the Kakamega County General Hospital (CGH) and Mumias Sugar Company to establish outstanding water debts owed to the Kakamega County Water and Sanitation Company (KACWASCO).

This visit follows a recent review of quarterly reports and financial statements for the 2025/2026 fiscal year for two county water agencies by the committee.

Part of the committee’s oversight mandate is to monitor and report on the implementation of the Finance Act, 2026.

At Mumias Sugar Company, the committee engaged with management regarding outstanding water liabilities, payment arrangements, and strategies for clearing pending balances.

They noted that settling these debts would significantly boost the liquidity of the water companies, thereby improving and expanding water supply services across the County.

The committee’s chairperson, Hon. Bonface Osanga, led his team in seeking answers for the increasing accumulation of water bills, examining the status of debt settlement and measures being put in place by the sugar miller to comply with the Finance Act, 2026.

“I urge timely payment of utility bills, which is essential in enhancing the financial sustainability of county-owned water service providers,” Hon. Osanga appealed.

On his part, the Head of Operations and Administration, Eng. Steven Kihumba, assured the committee that the pending water bill would be settled once the company improves its cash flow.

At Kakamega County General Hospital, the county legislators engaged with the hospital management on the level of outstanding water arrears and sought clarification on the measures being implemented to clear the pending bills, strengthen revenue management, and prevent the accumulation of future arrears.

The Medical Superintendent, Dr. Christian Lamba, reiterated the hospital's commitment to settling the outstanding water arrears, noting that management has put in place measures to enhance financial accountability.

“The accumulation of debts was largely attributed to budgetary constraints and competing operational demands. We are working closely with the water service provider to implement a structured payment plan,” said Dr. Lamba.

Hon. Dan Mukhwami, the committee’s vice-chairperson who led the committee to the health facility, called for the hospital’s management to prioritize settling utility obligations to avoid disruptions in service delivery.

The Customer Service Manager at KACWASCO, Ms. Lilian Hakonga, emphasized the importance of timely settlement of bills to enable the company to maintain efficient water supply services, meet operational costs, and continue investing in improvements in water infrastructure across the county.

21/07/2026

STAFF PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCTIVITY

20/07/2026

ASSEMBLY STAFF SIGN PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS

The County Assembly of Kakamega staff, led by the Clerk, Dr. Donald Manyala, PhD, have today signed annual performance contract appraisals—the first-ever public service requirement to be undertaken by the Assembly.

This ceremony was graced by the Speaker, Hon. James Namatsi, who praised the staff for their commitment to providing effective services, saying his administration values employees in driving the Assembly forward in the delivery of its mandate.

The Speaker stated that performance appraisal will help the Assembly evaluate how well employees perform their job duties and where they can improve to align more closely with the Assembly's overall mission and strategic plan.

"Today, we are marking a milestone for the Assembly because we are introducing a formal performance management contract of accountability between the staff and the board," Hon. Speaker explained.

Hon. Namatsi informed the staff that the best-performing employees will be rewarded for outstanding performance.

Members of the County Assembly Service Board, Hon. Elphas Shilosio and Hon. Boniface Akosi, appreciated the staff's zeal, stating that performance appraisal or review will evaluate employees' achievements and contributions to the Assembly over a set period.

"Make the County Assembly of Kakamega better by providing efficient services. We rely on you to ensure we deliver on our mandate as a county legislature. We believe in you. You are our ambassadors," Hon. Akosi said.

"We must implement our Strategic Plan to be able to assess the performance of staff," Hon. Shilosio added.

The Clerk was optimistic that performance appraisal will lead to a more motivated and dedicated workforce.

The event was coordinated by the Deputy Clerk, CPA Nelphat Mbati, and Director of Human Resource and Administration Services, CHRP-K Judith Makokha.

16/07/2026

COMMITTEE REVIEWS CONTROLLER OF BUDGET QUARTERLY REPORTS

The County Assembly of Kakanega Committee on Budget and Appropriations on Thursday engaged officials from the county executive department of Budget and Planning in an interrogation review of the Controller of Budget (CoB) quarterly reports for the 2025/26 Financial Year (FY).

The committee’s chairperson, Hon. Gildon Shioso, led his team in demanding explanations from the officials on queries raised in the CoB report regarding county trade payables, pending bills, and own-source revenue in the first three quarters of the fiscal year under review.

"We are committed to ensuring that every shilling allocated by the County Assembly is accounted for, and we expect the executive to provide clear explanations on budget performance, expenditure trends, pending bills, and the implementation of development programs,” Hon. Shioso said.

The committee also sought explanations regarding the accumulation of pending bills, the status of outstanding payments to suppliers and contractors, and the measures being undertaken to settle verified claims and address leakages in revenue streams.

The County Director of Budget and Planning, CPA Dennis Lusui, attributed some of the challenges to delayed exchequer disbursements, procurement timelines, and other operational constraints.

He assured the committee that measures have been put in place to improve budget absorption and enhance revenue collection during the remaining quarter of the financial year.

Hon. Daphnie Masitsa, a member of the committee, emphasized the importance of fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability in the management of public funds, noting that the reports provide an independent assessment of the county's financial performance and are vital for strengthening oversight.

Her sentiments were echoed by Hon. Gladys Omukongolo, who expressed concern over the impact of delayed payments on businesses and service delivery, noting that prolonged settlement of pending bills negatively affects contractors, suppliers, and the county's overall economic growth.

In response, CPA Edward Achola outlined the challenges contributing to pending bills, including cash flow constraints and verification procedures.

He assured the committee that the county government is prioritizing the clearance of verified pending bills and strengthening internal financial controls to curb the accumulation of new obligations.

In their submissions, officials from the Office of the Controller of Budget who were in attendance, urged the county executive to strengthen adherence to public finance management laws and regulations, enhance budget implementation, and improve expenditure planning.

“We urge the team to ensure timely absorption of allocated funds and submit accurate and timely financial reports for efficient service delivery,” Mr. Kipkurui Sellot, County Budget Coordinator, said.

Hon. Shioso emphasized that the committee will continue to demand accountability.

07/07/2026

FINANCE COMMITTEE CALLS FOR REVIEW OF COUNTY WATER TARIFFS

The County Assembly of Kakamega committee on Finance and Economic Planning has called on two county water agencies to closely work with the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) to review water tariffs downward.

The two water service providers—Kakamega County Water and Sanitation Company (KACWASCO) and Kakamega County Rural Water and Sanitation Company (KARUWASCO)—were directed by the committee to review existing water tariffs.

During an interrogation session with officials from the county water agencies, the Hon. Bonface Osanga-led committee was informed that residents of Kakamega are charged Ksh. 91 for consumption between 0 and 6 cubic meters, while consumption beyond 6 cubic meters is charged using a graduated tariff structure.

Officials from the Department of Water, led by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water, Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, Peninah Mukabana engaged the county legislators on water service delivery, operational performance, and the existing tariff structure.

KARUWASCO Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. James Atwa and his KACWASCO counterpart, CPA Charles Tunga,committed to addressing concerns raised by the committee, stating that the matter regarding the review of water tariffs will be addressed through the established legal framework.

On last-mile water connectivity, the committee’s vice-chairperson, Hon. Dan Mukhwami, sought to know the measures taken by water officials to expand water connectivity to more households.

In response, Atwa informed the committee that the agency is implementing measures to expand last-mile connectivity through the extension of water pipelines and strategic infrastructure projects.

Hon. Bernard Mulama emphasized the need for a cheaper tariff structure.