The County Government of Kiambu has unveiled a Sh168 billion five-year development plan, which H.E Dr Kimani Wamatangi hopes will guarantee a major transformation in the county that has been grappling with sluggish growth.
The regional government in its third “County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023-2027” launched by Mr Wamatangi has raised the five-year budget projection by Sh52 billion from Sh116 billion in 2018-2022 when only Sh61.8 billion was mobilised.

Mr Wamatangi said Sh127.9 billion will be drawn from the equitable share (76.9 billion), own source revenue and conditional grants (Sh52 billion) while Sh40 billion is to be realised through partnerships with the national government, private sectors and donors.

In the 2023-2024 financial year, the county intends to operate with an annual budget of Sh21.6 billion, in the next year, the figure is set to raise to Sh23 billion, Sh25.3 billion in 2025-2026, 2026-2027 (Sh27.5 billion) and Sh29.9 billion in the last financial year.

“By 2027, I want to have delivered to the people of Kiambu, a totally transformed county that will be the example of what devolution was meant to be. I stand for transformation today, for a better tomorrow. It is therefore by pride and pleasure in presenting a CIDP that is a covenant with the people of Kiambu, and which is anchored on governance, people, resources and competitiveness,” Mr Wamatangi said yesterday.

Mr Wamatangi who has been running the county under the “Making Kiambu Great Again” mantra, has laid emphasis on health, education, water connectivity, roads, agriculture, affordable housing and digitization of land registry, ICT as well as youth empowerment.

The health sector, which has been grappling with congestion in hospitals, inadequate equipment and staffing as well as inconsistency in drug supply, has the highest projection of Sh40 billion (26 percent) in the five years to be used on provision and improvement of essential health services.

Among areas of focus include construction and equipping of new level three and level four hospitals, expansion of existing level five facilities and consistent pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical supply.
Others are strengthening human resources through recruitment, motivation and retention of healthcare workers, implementation of community health services and outreach services, improved operations and referral system as well as promotion of access to specialized services.

The department of water has a projection of Sh25.5 billion to be spent on construction of dams, treatment plants, boreholes and rain water harvesting, additional water distribution infrastructures, stalled water projects and community water projects to reach more rural communities.

Lands, housing and physical planning docket headed by Ms Salome Muthoni as County Executive Committee Member has a projection of Sh22.4 billion to spend on among other things affordable housing, infrastructure development in municipalities and urban areas, land digitizing, surveying and titling.

Under the roads department which has a Sh14.8 billion projection, the county has a Boresha Barabara program to promote infrastructural development such as roads and bridges and laying of cabro blocks in the streets and walkways, construction and maintenance of Bus Parks and streetlights.

Sh11.4 billion will be spent on education matters to increase Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) service through, construct and equip new ECDEs centres, refurbish and renovate existing ECDE Centres and enhance a feeding programme where children will be taking fortified porridge and boiled eggs.

“The aim is to ensure every eligible child is enrolled for ECDE and will prioritize the provision and upgrade of all the requisite related facilities, teachers and financial support through bursary in order to deliver on a 100 percent enrolment rate,” the acting county minister for education Wilfred Mwenda said.

Under trade, Sh6.5 billion will be spent on among other things, establishing and strengthening Micro and Small Enterprise Fund, promoting cottage industries, construction of prototype modern kiosks in major towns across the county.

Agriculture has a projection of approximately Sh9 billion to be spent to increase agricultural productivity through provision of subsidised farm inputs and extension services, value addition through agro processing as well as expansion of area under irrigation among others.

To ensure realization of the revenue target, the county chief said the Finance department, which has an allocation of Sh12 billion, has put in place good governance, management systems and structures to manage and grow acquired resources and assets to enhance internal revenue collection through tapping the untapped revenue sources.

“Will diversify its donor base while retaining and deepening its relationship with the current donors and development partners such as World Bank, National Government, Rotary International, USAID World Vision and National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP),” Mr Wamatangi said.