Nairobi, Feb. 26 -- The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) has urged MPs and the Commission on Revenue Allocationto set a Sh130billion mandatory spending by counties on roads, water, and agriculture in the next budget.

The PBO -which advises lawmakers on economic and budget affairs- faults counties for splashing three-quarters of their budgets on salaries and running offices while starving critical areas that can trigger growth, and now wants them forced to spend in them.

In an advisory for counties' 2026/27 budget, the office is asking MPs and theCommission on Revenue Allocation(CRA)to ring-fence Sh50 billion for the building of roads, Sh40 billion for water infrastructure, and Sh40 billion for agricultural services.

This would be the ...