This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
Kenya: Counties Used Less Than 50% of Budget, Report Shows ¶
Published on July 16, 2019
A new report has revealed that a majority of Kenya's counties have absorbed less than 50 percent of their budgets in the first nine months of the 2018-2019 financial year.
According to the County Governments Budget Implementation Review Report, during the said period, the devolved units spent 48.4 percent of their total annual budgets.
Only Narok County managed to absorb over 60.1 percent of the funds allocated.
The top 10 performers in absorption rates were Narok, Kitui, Garissa, Taita Taveta, Murang'a, Mandera, Nairobi, Nandi, Nyamira, and Kakamega counties.
On the other hand, the bottom performers in absorption rates were Wajir, Nakuru, Kilifi, Lamu, Tana River, Siaya, Nyandarua, Kajiado, Baringo, Samburu, and Turkana counties.
Among the top spenders on development projects were Kakamega, Mandera, and Nairobi counties, which spent Sh3 billion, Sh2.8 billion, and Sh2.3 billion respectively.
Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo blamed the delays in the disbursement of funds by the Treasury as among the reasons for the poor absorption of the money.
