Rt. Rev. Charles Ong’injo, Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Bishop of the Diocese of Maseno South, has raised an alarm over fiscal challenges undermining development and service delivery in Western Kenya. Speaking on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at a Lake Region Citizens Assembly organized by the Institute for Social Accountability at ACK Cathedral Milimani in Kisumu, the Bishop called for urgent action to address issues ranging from delayed revenue disbursements to rampant corruption.
Bishop Ong’injo expressed concern over the national government’s recurrent delays in releasing equitable revenue shares to counties, a situation that violates Article 219 of the Constitution.
“These delays have crippled county governments’ ability to deliver services, further compounding the already dire socio-economic conditions,” he said.
He highlighted corruption as a significant obstacle, citing reports from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Auditor-General, which reveal systemic financial mismanagement.
“From 2018 to date, nearly Ksh.5 trillion ($46 billion) has been mismanaged, unaccounted for, or lost, according to the Auditor-General’s findings,” he noted.
Mounting Challenges
Ong’injo painted a grim picture of stalled development projects, pending bills amounting to Ksh.181.98 billion as of June 2024, and a faltering health sector.
“The high population depends on poorly facilitated hospitals like Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, overburdening it and diminishing the quality of healthcare services,” he lamented.
He noted that education in the region is facing challenges including a low teacher-student ratio and under-equipped schools, despite the area’s reputation for academic excellence, saying, the shortcomings, coupled with collapsing industries and poor infrastructure, have contributed to skyrocketing unemployment.
Bishop’s Recommendations
To restore fiscal discipline and service delivery, Bishop Ong’injo proposed:
- Timely Disbursements: The National Treasury must adhere to constitutional mandates and ensure prompt revenue transfers to counties to avoid disruptions in service delivery.
- Accountability Mechanisms: Strengthening institutions like the EACC, Auditor-General’s Office, and Judiciary is vital for combating corruption. “Strict penalties for non-compliance with public finance laws must be enforced,” he added.
- Citizen Participation: Ong’injo emphasized the importance of robust public involvement in budget processes and decision-making bodies, such as revenue boards and project management committees, to enhance transparency.
- Civic Education: Both levels of government should allocate resources for sustained civic education on budgeting and public participation to empower citizens.
He also called for rationalizing recurrent and development expenditures to ensure resources are allocated to priority areas.
“Counties must close commercial accounts flagged for corruption and deposit all revenue in County Revenue Funds,” he said.
A Call to Action
Bishop Ong’injo urged Western Kenya leaders and residents to seize the opportunity to reform governance and secure a sustainable future.
“We must engage positively to redeem our region’s image and ensure socio-economic equity,” he concluded.
