By Eric Omwombo
The national government has been challenged to release funds to counties hard hit by floods.
Three weeks of heavy rainfall has caused flooding and concomitant calamities leading to deaths and destruction of property, yet the government has been obtrusively silent.
Led by Governor James Orengo and Speaker George Okode leaders from Siaya County now want the government to act and not abandon it’s people in their hour of need.
“If the Ruto-led government takes lives of Hustlers seriously then a quick response should have been expedited,” said Orengo.
The county boss said the state emergency kitty should be released immediately to save lives.
Speaking while presiding at a funds-drive in aid of church construction in Bondo sub-County on Sunday, Orengo said they cannot handle the calamities of these magnitude as a county due to lack of funds.
“Counties are starved of cash and not able to respond to the distresses brought by floods,” said Orengo.
“I know there is climate change and we must be ready to deal with these disasters expeditiously,” added Governor Orengo.
The county boss said that it was high time the government stopped empty rhetoric and acted to save the lives of citizens .
“The government must now come out with it’s true colours because it has got a larger kitty to deal with disasters and floods of this magnitude,” said Orengo.
He regretted that the government has remained silent despite the floods causing havoc in this country for the past three weeks.
“Its so unfortunate that the floods caused disasters for more than three weeks but the Kenya Kwanza government has remained silent,” said Orengo
“Here in Siaya, we have encountered flooding challenges in Yimbo, Usonga, West Alego, and upper reaches of river Nzoia,” the county boss said, adding that Siaya urgently needed resources to save lives.
His remarks come barely a day after National Assembly Budget Committee chairperson Ndindi Nyoro asked the national treasury to leverage on Article 223 of the constitution to avail funds to address the flooding calamities.
“Through the supplementary appropriation clause, the treasury can use money not previously allocated during the budgeting process in times of emergencies like the flooding,” said Nyoro.
“Just like drought no one prepares for floods but we have them. Article 223 allows national treasury to utilise funds which have not been budgeted by Parliament in the event of emergencies which will be regularised later on…the funds should not be more than 10 per cent of the budget,” stated Nyoro.
According to the Article, Parliament has 60 days to regularise the spending.
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