BY MUCERI MBAE
Residents of Meru County have called for increased budgetary allocations to key sectors including health, roads, agriculture, youth empowerment, employment and security during a public participation exercise on the 2026/2027 Budget Estimates.
The engagement, organized by the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) at Kamundi Hall in Meru Town, gave residents an opportunity to present their development priorities and concerns ahead of the next national budget.
The delegation, led by Mathioya MP Edwin Mugo, said the exercise was aimed at ensuring wananchi directly contribute to the budgeting process and influence government spending priorities.
Healthcare emerged as one of the major concerns, with residents urging the government to allocate more resources to medical services and support cancer patients in the county.
Mr. Paul Muriungi from North Imenti appealed for the establishment of an Emergency Health Fund to assist patients battling cancer, saying many families are unable to afford treatment and Social Health Authority (SHA) contributions.
“Meru County is leading in terms of cancer cases. Most of the patients can’t even afford to pay for their SHA,” he said.
Mr. Mohammed Salim also called for the equipping of Meru County Referral Hospital with modern diagnostic machines including MRI and endoscopy equipment to improve healthcare services in the region.
Youth unemployment also featured prominently during the discussions, with residents asking Parliament to allocate funds towards job creation initiatives and overseas employment opportunities for young people.
Dennis Gitonga, a resident of Central Imenti, said many educated youths remain unemployed despite completing their studies.
“We have so many educated youths in Meru without jobs. We need support to go abroad and look for greener pastures,” said Gitonga.
On security, residents urged the government to establish a dedicated security zone and provide more police patrol vehicles to address insecurity and banditry attacks in some parts of the county.
Residents also pushed for the construction of the proposed Mitunguu International Airstrip, saying it would boost trade, improve exports of miraa and other agricultural products, and strengthen regional connectivity.
They further called for more funding towards feeder roads, electricity connectivity, stadiums, sports academies, ICT hubs, industrial parks and laboratories for senior secondary schools.
According to residents, Meru is among Kenya’s top-performing counties economically due to its strong agricultural base and contribution to national revenue through taxes, adding that the county deserves increased allocation of national resources and elevation to city status.
Lawmakers present during the exercise also highlighted constituency priorities, with Buuri MP Rindikiri Mugambi and North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood calling for budget allocations towards the construction of Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTCs) in their constituencies.
Speaking during the forum, Dr. Mugo assured residents that their proposals and written memoranda would be considered in the preparation of the final budget report.
“The Budget and Appropriations Committee has brought Bunge Mashinani to Meru to engage residents on the next Budget priority areas. We will convene next week to look into these views and ensure they are factored into the next Budget,” said Dr. Mugo.
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