Naivasha, 6th November 2024
Ward Development Program directorate led by its CEO, Engineer Eston Kimathi, commenced a five-day Technical Working Group (TWG) workshop aimed at deliberating on the WDP budget estimates for the upcoming 2025/2026 fiscal year.
Eng. Kimathi emphasized the need for a comprehensive Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) report that reflects both the performance of Ward Development projects over the past financial year and the strategic priorities for the upcoming three-year period. He stressed the importance of aligning county initiatives with Nairobi’s County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), stating, “Any appropriations outside the CIDP or other county planning tools are irregular and open to audit issues.”
In his remarks, Eng. Kimathi highlighted the importance of addressing recurring audit recommendations, stating that they must focus on correcting previous oversights to strengthen future audits. “When we identify gaps in our projects, let us not continue repeating the same mistakes. It’s essential we address these issues collaboratively,” he noted.
A key area Eng. Kimathi proposed was the integration of street and public lighting in all WDP projects as a cross-sector linkage to increase public safety and community impact. “If every project incorporated elements of street/public lighting, the impact would be substantial. We need to document these proposals, along with any challenges and strategies to address the challenges in our MTEF report,” he urged.
Eng. Kimathi also called for capturing the community’s feedback. “We need to address areas for improvement, particularly regarding project management, particularly adherence to contract timelines, which has been a recurring audit issue. Let’s ensure that all active contracts are within their valid periods to maintain compliance and improve project accountability.”
Principal Economist Petronilla Kang’ara took the directorate through understanding the county planning framework and the county integrated development plan, Annual Development Plan, and work plan.
The workshops’ objective is to enhance the officers understanding of the budget formulation process, especially in line with the WDP’s mandate, ensuring that budget proposals align with the legislative guidelines and priorities of Nairobi County, efficiency and accountability in resource allocation, establish clear guidelines for the preparation of the MTEF 2025/2026, setting a structured approach for the medium-term budget among others.
The Ward Development Program (WDP) plays a critical role in promoting equitable resource allocation across all wards in Nairobi County by ensuring that all wards receive fair financial support for development projects, contributing to the overall socio-economic growth of the county, facilitate the effective prioritization of projects based on ward-specific needs and resident feedback, oversee the implementation of projects to ensure they meet both budgetary and impact goals as outlined by Nairobi County’s development strategy.
Present were engineers from Mobility and Works Sector, Green Nairobi, and Officers from Economic Planning Department.
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