IBEC: Agreed County Functions To Be Gazetted By Dec 13

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki chaired his first Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) meeting on Friday at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi.

The 25th Ordinary Session of IBEC brought together senior officials from the national and county governments, including Cabinet Secretaries and Governors, to deliberate on critical issues affecting devolution and service delivery.

One of the key resolutions from the meeting was the need to expedite the unbundling and transfer of functions already agreed upon between the two levels of government. This process is expected to be concluded and gazetted by December 13, 2024, to ensure the smooth operation of devolved units.

Institutions were urged to prioritize the implementation of IBEC resolutions and establish robust monitoring systems to track progress and enhance accountability. Both levels of government committed to improving coordination, cooperation, and consultation to strengthen devolution and safeguard effective service delivery to citizens.

The meeting also emphasized the need to facilitate the documentation, inspection, valuation, and transfer of fixed assets to counties. The State Department of Lands was tasked with expediting the valuation process for land and buildings inherited by county governments to address the issue comprehensively.

Deputy President Kindiki’s office will convene high-level discussions to resolve issues related to the Integrated County Revenue Management System, outstanding disbursements from the County Government Additional Allocation 2023/2024, and the mediation of the 2024/25 County Government Additional Allocation Bill currently before Parliament. Mechanisms to isolate donor funds and ensure their seamless disbursement to counties will also be reviewed.

Concerns raised by the Council of Governors and the Controller of Budget regarding the approval of fund withdrawals and the existence of multiple county accounts will be addressed in a consultative meeting to foster collaboration and mutual understanding.

The National Treasury was directed to prioritize the disbursement of arrears to the Equalization Fund and to fast-track amendments to sections of the Public Finance Management Act. These changes aim to ease access to conditional grants by county governments and improve financial efficiency.

County governments were encouraged to strengthen their revenue collection mechanisms, adopt innovative approaches to broaden their revenue base, and implement measures to minimize leakages.

Deputy President Kindiki reiterated his commitment to fostering collaboration between the national and county governments, highlighting the importance of protecting devolution and ensuring efficient delivery of services to the public.