The Council of Governors (CoG) has threatened to shut down counties due to National Treasury delays in disbursing equitable shares.
According to Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, the National Treasury owes counties Ksh.94.3 billion for March to May 2023, causing not just paralysis but also untold pain for county employees who have gone months without pay.
He stated that March arrears are Ksh.29.6 billion, April disbursements are Ksh.33.3 billion, and May disbursements are Ksh.31.45 billion.
Barasa, who also chairs the CoG's Finance Committee, accused the National Treasury of breaking a promise made during a meeting on May 2 this year to expedite the payment of arrears owing to counties.
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He said that The money for March was supposed to be released on Monday, May 15. Still, they have not received anything from the National Treasury, so they have called for an extraordinary meeting tomorrow to deliberate on this matter and decide how to proceed
The governors will meet on Friday to consider their next course of action, even as they threaten to shut down counties if money is not received by the end of the fiscal year.
Barasa, the governor of Kakamega county, said that What shutting down counties means is that they will not be able to deliver services, medical services, workers will not be able to come to work, they will stay at home, their ECD and county polytechnics will be closed basically, nothing will happen in the counties.
The county executives believe they need to be addressed in the distribution of finances, stating that the national government receives prompt disbursements, but counties face perpetual delays.
