Urban centres in Kenya win lottery from UK

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British High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey

Its a relations celebration as the United Kingdom government has launched a Ksh 8 billion program on sustainable urban economic development targeted at 10 counties over a five year period.

The Ksh 8 billion will be spread across 10 counties over a period of 5 years.

Speaking during the launch of the fund, lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney stated that the funds will be useful in planning the counties to improve on the current status.

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Lands cs Farida Karoney

“There is a lot that can be done with this money, it’s one and a half times the budget allocated to the lands ministry and with these funds we can better plan our counties to the competitive,” said Karoney.

According to the British High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey, the program aims at creating opportunities for counties that have been historically marginalized.

“The money is set to bring at par regions that have been left out, this funds seeks to aid in the proper planning and strategic placement of these counties,” said Hailey.

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Selected counties will be provided with urban planners to help develop and integrate sustainable plans to spur growth and make them economic hubs.

The program will be implemented in four phases, the first being selection of deserving counties.

Last year fourteen marginalised counties received over Sh 12 billion in  equalization funds from the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) in the 2018/19 financial year to put them at par with others.

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Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) Chief Executive Officer George Ooko.

According to CRA Chief Executive Officer George Ooko, the commission used parameters such as historical marginalization and access to basic amenities to consider deserving counties. He said Turkana, Lamu, Mandera,Wajir, Marsabit, Samburu, West Pokot, Tana River, Narok, Kwale, Garissa, Kilifi, Taita Taveta and Isiolo were some of the counties benefiting from the fund.

Mr Ooko, who was accompanied by the CRA Commissioner Ms Maimuna Mohammed, said they were going round the 14 counties on a fact-finding mission on the exact areas where the funds will be channeled to. He said the amount to be allocated will vary from one county to the other depending on the population and the poverty index adding that the funds are from the 0.5 percent of the total national revenue.

Do you think this new cheque will solve the marginalization issue?

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