Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, the Chairperson of the Finance Committee at the Council of Governors (CoG), has raise a concern over the disbursement of funds to counties.
Speaking in Naivasha during a consultative meeting convened by the CoG Finance Committee, he noted that this delays remains a significant challenge for devolved units, threatening to derail the gains made under Kenya’s devolution framework.
Governor Barasa emphasized that the continued delays in releasing funds are undermining service delivery at the county level and negating the core objectives of devolution.
He called on the Office of the Controller of Budget to fast-track the automation of budget approval processes to minimize delays and enhance efficiency.
The CoG Chairman Ahmed Abdullahi echoed Barasa’s sentiments, noting that the financial constraints caused by delayed disbursements have contributed significantly to the accumulation of pending bills across counties.
The governors expressed concern that unless the systemic issues affecting budget processing and disbursement are urgently addressed, counties will continue to struggle with financial instability, ultimately affecting service delivery to citizens.
Legal expert Mutakha Kangu called on amendment of the constitution to address perennial delays of funds to counties.
