Sakaja's Dishi na County gets Sh700m boost
President William Ruto, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson join pupils of Zawadi Comprehensive School, Kamukunji in Nairobi County for lunch during the official opening of the Dishi na County Central Kitchen on March 10, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Mr Kerich said the funds will help improve the nutritional status of learners and encourage school attendance.
- However, this is lower than the Sh800 million that was allocated to the school feeding programme last year.
The Nairobi County Assembly has passed a budget of Sh44.6 billion for the financial year 2025/2026, comprising Sh31.2 billion in recurrent expenditure and Sh13.4 billion in development expenditure.
During a special sitting of the County Assembly, Finance and Planning Executive Charles Kerich stated that this year’s budget had increased by Sh1 billion compared to the previous year.
Sectors that received increased allocations include health, education, transport and infrastructure.
Mr Kerich allocated Sh849 million for the construction, equipping and rehabilitation of health facilities to ensure that affordable health services are accessible to all Nairobi residents.
An additional Sh400 million was allocated for equipping and adequately stocking county health facilities with non-pharmaceutical supplies.
“Infrastructure development is a key priority, with upgrades and expansions planned for key hospitals including Pumwani Maternity and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital. We will prioritise equipping hospitals with advanced diagnostic and treatment tools, as well as modernizing the health data system,” Mr Kerich said.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja serves President William Ruto lunch at Toi Primary School under the Dishi Na County programme.
Governor Johnson Sakaja’s school feeding programme received an allocation of Sh700 million.
Mr Kerich said the funds will help improve the nutritional status of learners and encourage school attendance.
However, this is lower than the Sh800 million allocated to the initiative last year, which saw the county construct more than 10 modern kitchens to support the programme.
A total of Sh857 million has been allocated for county bursaries. Of this, Sh7 million will be distributed to each ward, with the remaining amount supporting continuing students under the Executive Scholarship Programme.
Ward development programmes
Mr Kerich also announced an allocation of Sh2.15 billion for ward development programmes, noting that 145 projects were completed over the past year.
The county has earmarked Sh2.8 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of roads across Nairobi, and Sh1 billion for the construction and upgrade of sports complexes and stadiums.
According to Mr Kerich, this year’s budget places a strong emphasis on enhancing public service delivery, accelerating infrastructure projects, and supporting social development, while maintaining fiscal prudence and compliance with statutory financial management requirements.
He further reported that during the last financial year, the county posted Sh13.4 billion in Own-Source Revenue, surpassing the previous figure of Sh10 billion.
The offocial stated that the decision to retain current tax rates was a deliberate move to cushion Nairobi residents from the effects of the difficult economic environment.
“Due to financial constraints, taxes will not be increased in order to protect our people during these tough economic times,” he said.
To finance its growing budget, the CEC informed the Assembly that the county has broadened its tax base, tapping into previously untapped revenue sources to improve service delivery without increasing the financial burden on residents.
He also assured Members of the County Assembly that his office would begin cleaning up the revenue data to determine the accurate amount of outstanding receivables and establish robust recovery measures.