How PO-RALG will spend Sh9 trillion

Dodoma. The ministry of State in the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-Ralg) yesterday unveiled its Sh9.144 trillion budget estimates for the 2023/24 fiscal year, a 4 percent increase against the 2022/23 budget.

Tabling the said estimates in the parliament, PO-Ralg minister Ms Angela Kairuki noted that at least Sh5.65 trillion is for recurrent expenditure, including salaries, and other charges (OC) are just Sh1.060 trillion.

The proposed recurrent expenditure has increased by 3 percent compared to the 2022/23 budget, while for wages there is a 1 percent drop, probably due to those who have to retire prematurely for fake credentials, while others have increased by 20 percent compared to the 2022/23 budget.

Therefore, for development projects, the responsible minister was requesting the approval of Sh3.5 trillion, of which at least Sh2.364 trillion would be sourced domestically and the remaining Sh1.123 trillion would be sourced abroad.

On the other hand, Ms Kairuki requested the House’s approval for PO-Ralg and institutions under its watch, as well as 26 regions and 184 local authorities, to collect about Sh1.2 trillion.

According to her, among other things, two sectors will benefit from the ejected funds, these include education, whereby the government wants to keep running the programme that ensures primary and secondary education is free for all children.

“Sh399.64 billion is set for the programme, whereby Sh157.79 billion is for primary schools and Sh241.85 billion is for secondary schools. The budget is a 15.34 percent increase compared to the Sh346.49 billion approved last year, which was instigated after incorporating ‘A’ level students in the programme,” he detailed. The health sector was never left behind, as the government, through PO-Ralg, intends to continue with the construction of 41 state-of-the-art health facilities, for which Sh30.29 billion is set aside.

On the other hand, the ministry has also set aside funds worth Sh7.84 billion that are meant for maintenance and the completion of the construction of 16 offices meant for regional commissioners.

Other projects to be executed, according to the minister, include the construction of administration buildings in 17 local councils valued at Sh49.32 billion. The ministry is also planning to purchase furniture worth Sh14.70 for 50 local councils.

Besides, PO-Ralg is also planning to purchase 81 vehicles for regional commissioner (RC) offices, whereby five cars would be for the RCs, two vehicles are meant for the Regional Administrative Secretary (Das) and 74 vehicles are bought for DCs.

The country’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is also part of the share, as at least Sh15.99 billion is set aside for 214 constituencies on the Tanzania mainland, meant to instigate development activities in the said constituencies.

The Local Government Affairs Committee chairman, Mr Dennis Londo said his committee has recommended the government evaluate and set strategies to address the shortage of workers facing councils nationwide.

“Funds should be disbursed for completing the construction of schools and dispensaries in order to eliminate losses that could be incurred by delaying completion,” he said.

In another development, lawmakers want new regulations that impose heavy penalties on those embezzling local authority funds meant as interest-free loans disbursed to women, youth, and persons with disabilities (WYPWDs).

They also call for the ministry responsible to hasten legal action against responsible individuals involved in the saga even before the house debated the recently released 2021/22 report by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG).

The said report has disclosed that at least Sh88 billion is not recovered following irregularities in its disbursement, which prompted President Samia Suluhu Hassan to seek better ways for the disbursement as, currently, the loans serve as political tools.

Moreover, on Thursday, when winding up his office’s 2023/24 budget estimate, Premier Majaliwa Kassim Majaliwa said the government has decided to stop the disbursement of the said loans.

“Following various challenges encountered in the management and disbursement process of the loans, as well as with the president’s directives after she received lots of complaints from legislators, I am ordering all councils to immediately stop the issuance of loans,” he directed.

While debating on the President’s Office—Regional Administrative and Local Government (PO-Ralg), Mr Issa Mtemvu explained that the perpetrators don’t care as no one has been taken to task over his or her ill actions.

“Imagine, for the 2022/23 fiscal year, Sh75 billion was allocated for the loans countrywide, yet we are told by CAG that for 2021/22, Sh88.8 billion is nowhere to be seen... it has been stolen. Though local authorities have failed us, including Ubungo, Makambako and Geita,” he lamented.

The furious MP was of the view that there isn’t a need to wait until the house will be debating the CAG report; rather, he thinks it is high time for the minister to introduce tougher regulations that impose heavy penalties.

“When you read Regulation Number 24 of the local government, which in fact oversees the management and disbursement of the loans, the penalty imposed is much lighter. Imagine, if found guilty, one will pay between Sh200,000 and Sh1 million,” the MP was taken aback.