A 2019 editorial highlighted persistent financial irregularities in Kenyan county governments, citing reports of Sh1.2 billion in unapproved expenditures by Nairobi City Hall. The piece traced the issue to the implementation of the 2010 Constitution's devolution framework, which established 47 counties in 2013.
Members of the Nairobi County Assembly alleged that funds exceeding Controller of Budget approvals were spent without proper accounting. The editorial emphasized that Article 207 of the Constitution mandates depositing own-source revenue into designated county accounts to ensure transparency, a requirement reportedly violated in this case.
Advocates cited in the report called for both criminal prosecution and financial penalties against officials involved in reckless spending. The editorial stressed that fiscal accountability remains critical to fulfilling the devolution framework's promise of grassroots development.
