Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has blamed the National Treasury for the delayed salaries of county workers, citing late disbursements as the main cause of the disruptions.
Speaking on Thursday morning during an interview on Radio Jambo, Sakaja revealed that the county had not received its equitable share for the past two months, forcing reliance on local revenue collections which he said were insufficient to cover payroll.
“The salaries for this month were delayed because Nairobi County receives an equitable share and also generates its own revenue. So we have not received the equitable share for two months,” he explained.
The governor assured residents that he had engaged Treasury officials, who pledged that the pending funds would be released soon.
“They informed me that they were still addressing an international debt and that the money would be released anytime,” he said.
Sakaja stressed that Nairobi had never previously experienced salary delays extending beyond one month, adding that consistent and timely disbursements were critical.
He noted that the problem could only be solved if the county’s own-source revenue surpassed what it receives from the national government.
The governor’s remarks came a day after the Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGU) accused the county of breaching the Return-to-Work agreement signed on August 11, 2025.
Led by Nairobi branch secretary Calvince Okello, the union criticised the delays, saying they had left staff struggling to meet financial obligations.
“It’s quite unfortunate that today, being the 17th of September, 2025, Nairobi county staff are yet to receive their third-party remittances of July 2025 and August 2025 salaries, and there are no signs when the salaries will be paid. This is a gross contravention of the Return-to-Work agreement,” the union said in a statement.
Sakaja urged workers to remain patient, reiterating his commitment to ensuring salaries are paid promptly once Treasury releases the funds.
