Members of the Kitui County Assembly have begun reviewing the Kitui County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP) for the 2026/2027 Financial Year, marking a key step in shaping the county’s next budget.
Speaking during the opening session on Thursday, Kevin Kinengo Katisya urged Members of County Assembly (MCAs) to thoroughly interrogate the document, noting that the CFSP is a critical statutory tool that guides budget priorities and resource allocation for the upcoming financial year.
The Speaker reminded members that the budget informed by the document will be the last one fully implemented by the Third County Assembly, since the following financial year will largely fall under the Fourth Assembly after the 2027 elections.
“This CFSP will inform the last budget that this Third Assembly will fully implement. The next budget will be approved by this House but its implementation will largely fall under the Fourth Assembly,” he said, urging members to ensure the plan reflects the needs of residents across the county.
During the session, the County Executive Committee Member for Finance, Economic Planning and Revenue Management, Peter Mwikya Kilonzo, briefed MCAs on the fiscal framework, sector ceilings and proposed priority programmes. He was accompanied by the Chief Officer for Economic Planning and Budgeting, Patrick Munuve.
MCAs used the opportunity to seek clarification on various proposals in the document while raising concerns over the slow implementation of previously approved development budgets. Members noted that under-absorption of funds had delayed the completion of key projects across several sectors.
The legislators called for greater focus on programmes that directly improve service delivery in critical sectors such as health, water, roads and agriculture.
They also urged the county government to strengthen revenue collection strategies, reduce pending bills and ensure budget allocations align with realistic revenue projections and the county’s development priorities.
Later in the day, various sectoral committees held consultative sessions with County Executive Committee Members and departmental officials to examine sector-specific allocations and programmes contained in the CFSP.
The committees engaged departments including Health and Sanitation, Finance and Economic Planning, Basic Education, Land, Infrastructure and Urban Development, Agriculture, Water and Irrigation, Administration and Coordination of County Affairs, and the County Public Service Board.
MCAs emphasized the need for departments to address the concerns raised by the Assembly to ensure the final budget framework for the 2026/2027 financial year is balanced, responsive and capable of accelerating development across Kitui County.
The review exercise is expected to continue tomorrow, with more departments scheduled to appear before their respective committees to provide further clarification on their proposed priorities and expenditure plans.
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