Bungoma County’s plans to support women and persons with disabilities are facing a policy hurdle after Members of the County Assembly questioned the failure to act following the lapse of regulations governing the county’s empowerment funds.
The issue emerged as the County Assembly Committee on Gender, Culture and Social Welfare, chaired by Jack Kawa, scrutinised the department’s budget proposals, programmes and expenditure plans for the 2027/28 financial year.
Appearing before the committee was the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Gender, Culture and Social Welfare, Benedict Emachar, alongside Chief Officer Andrew Musungu and Director Moses Chebonyo, as well as finance, procurement and other departmental officials.
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Empowerment funds face policy gap
Members questioned the department over what they described as insufficient action following the lapse of regulations that had operationalised the Women and Disability Empowerment Funds.
The committee sought to know why the department had not taken adequate steps to ensure the funds were operationalised, given their role in supporting vulnerable groups and promoting economic empowerment.
The concerns raise a wider question over whether Bungoma has the policy and regulatory framework required to turn its empowerment programmes into functioning services for residents.
For women and persons with disabilities expecting support through the county programmes, an allocation in the budget may mean little if the systems required to administer the funds are not in place.
The committee therefore pressed the department on how it intends to address the policy gap and ensure the empowerment programmes can be implemented.
Sh23 million proposed for culture and women’s projects
The scrutiny comes as the department seeks funding for several projects in the proposed 2027/28 budget.
The department is seeking Sh3 million to protect cultural sites across Bungoma, while Sh10 million has been proposed to fence the Sang’alo Cultural Centre. A further Sh10 million is earmarked for the renovation and equipping of the Kimilili Library, while another Sh10 million is proposed for construction of a Women Empowerment Centre.
The allocations place the department’s cultural and empowerment priorities under scrutiny, particularly as Members question whether sufficient resources are being directed towards programmes that have a direct impact on residents.
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Committee questions recurrent spending
Members also raised concerns over the department’s expenditure pattern, arguing that a significant proportion of its budget continues to go towards recurrent expenditure, leaving limited resources for development and capital projects.
The committee urged CECM Benedict Emachar and his team to strengthen the department’s development component and channel more resources towards projects with tangible benefits for residents.
The concern is significant because the department’s responsibilities extend beyond administrative functions to programmes targeting women, persons with disabilities, culture and community empowerment.
Members want the department to demonstrate how its proposed spending will translate into actual facilities, programmes and opportunities for residents.
The committee also directed the department to factor its pending bills into future departmental projections.
Members warned that failing to account for outstanding obligations could affect implementation of the next budget if resources meant for new programmes are later required to settle previous commitments.
As the county prepares its 2027/28 budget, the department will have to address the regulatory gap around the empowerment funds, account for pending bills and explain how it plans to increase development spending
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