This archive report was first published on 27 August 2019.
County governments in Kenya have been criticized for failing to spend Sh85.6 billion out of the Sh314 billion allocated to them in the last financial year. The revelation has sparked a standoff over governors' demands for an extra Sh19 billion this year.
According to a document prepared by the Treasury, the 47 counties had only spent Sh228.4 billion by the end of the 2018/19 financial year. This leaves a huge unspent balance of Sh85.6 billion.
Nakuru County leads the pack with Sh3.9 billion unspent cash, followed by Nairobi with Sh3.5 billion. Other counties with significant cash balances include Kwale (Sh2.5 billion), Turkana (Sh2.4 billion), and Machakos (Sh1.8 billion).
On the other hand, Tharaka-Nithi, Mombasa, and Taita-Taveta were the best spenders, with a balance less than Sh100 million each in their accounts.
The cash crisis has sparked strikes by county workers, with National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi calling on the Senate to focus on ensuring counties can absorb what is allocated to them before pushing for additional monies.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, however, dismissed the argument, stating that even government ministries do not have a 100% absorption rate.
Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya defended the push for more money, saying low absorption notwithstanding, the counties will still get their allocations even if it is late.
