This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
As of December 19, 2019, the government had committed to paying all pending bills by March 2020, providing relief to businesses owed billions in goods and services already delivered to the State.
Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i said the Cabinet had developed a schedule to pay money owed by ministries, State departments, and authorities.
“We have already paid over Sh9 billion in pending bills to those owed by the national government and hope within the next month or two, as these bills are cleared, everyone owed under SMEs and the Agpo framework will all be paid,” he said.
Dr. Matiang'i put the governors of 15 counties on the spot for failing to pay their debts despite receiving disbursements from Treasury.
“We have been focusing on these bills to ensure they are paid and there is good progress made and we demand our colleagues in the counties pay their bills,” said the CS, who also accused governors of using the issue for political mileage.
According to an audit conducted by the Auditor General on behalf of the National Treasury last year, national and county governments owed suppliers more than Sh225 billion dating back several years.
Counties owed more than Sh100 billion, including payments to the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency, electricity, and water payments among others.
