Despite promising voters numerous improvements, many first-term governors have yet to initiate new development projects over a year into their tenure.
Strained finances and mounting debts have hindered their ability to deliver on their promises, with the high cost of salaries consuming over half of county budgets annually.
Recent revelations suggest that county revenue allocations will be reduced following the withdrawal of the 2024 Finance Bill, further straining county finances and potentially halting development projects. Counties were allocated Ksh 415 billion for the 2024/2025 financial year.
A report by Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o, covering the first nine months of the 2023/2024 financial year, reveals that over 30 governors have yet to undertake significant development projects.
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Only five counties—Narok, Bomet, Uasin Gishu, Mandera, and Kitui—have reached high levels of approved development budget utilization.
Counties with the lowest development budget utilization include Nairobi, Bungoma, Mombasa, and Taita Taveta. The report indicates that Bungoma’s development record stands at 11.7%, Nairobi at 9%, Mombasa at 7.7%, and Taita Taveta at 7%.
Specifically, Nairobi spent only Ksh 1.25 billion on development out of an Ksh 11.35 billion budget, Bungoma spent Ksh 660 million out of Ksh 4.48 billion, Mombasa spent Ksh 369 million out of Ksh 4.4 billion, and Taita Taveta spent Ksh 163 million out of Ksh 2.19 billion on development.
Conversely, counties like Narok, Bomet, Uasin Gishu, Mandera, and Kitui led in development spending, utilizing 54.4%, 48.8%, 41.5%, 38%, and 36.6% of their approved budgets, respectively.
Overall, counties spent Ksh 274.08 billion in the first nine months of the 2023/2024 financial year, equating to 48.5% of their annual budget of Ksh 564.53 billion. Development expenditure during this period amounted to Ksh 44.89 billion, representing 22.1% of the total.
Counties have also grappled with substantial debts, with Sh 10.5 billion repaid by December 2023. By this time, all 47 counties had accumulated debts totaling Ksh 156.3 billion. Nairobi led with Ksh 107.04 billion, followed by Kiambu (Ksh 5.71 billion), Mombasa (Ksh 3.92 billion), Machakos (Ksh 3.03 billion), Mandera (Ksh 2.3 billion), and Busia (Ksh 2.29 billion).