Treasury Increases County Funds Disbursement by Ksh. 12 billion Between July And October

• • Counties had been going through a hard time paying their workers salaries and allowances following a standoff by the Senate on the formula of dividing 316.5 billion among the 47 counties.

Treasury increased its monthly disbursements to counties by Sh12 billion in the financial year 2020/2021  as showed by the data published by the Kenya Gazette.

The funds which are being used to ensure a constant cash flow to the devolved units during the Covid-19 pandemic increased from Sh 66.1 billion to 78.4 billion in the months of July, August, September, and October.

Counties had been going through a hard time paying their workers salaries and allowances following a standoff by the Senate on the formula of dividing 316.5 billion among the 47 counties.

The amount has been rising gradually from 280 billion in the 2016/2017 financial year to Sh 302 and Sh 304 billion in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 financial years respectively.

2020/2021 financial year funds allocation stood at Sh 316.5 billion.

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The county chiefs battled to have the allocation increased as devolved functions continued to burden local governments with limited resources.

This was followed by county government bosses threatening to relieve their workers from duty and shutting down their services due to delayed disbursement of funds.

“It is unfortunate that County Governments are unable to even pay the salaries and allowances of our health workers who remain in the frontline to save lives of Kenyans during the current situation. In this regard, if the prevailing situation persists, effective September 17 Counties will have no choice but to shut down,” said the Council of Governor’s chairman Mr. Oparanya in September 2020.

Health workers in Nairobi, Kisumu, Kisii, Siaya, Homabay among other counties also issued strike notices while others downed their tools due to delayed pay amid the spread of the Coronavirus.

The National Assembly went ahead to approve the County allocation bill 2020  in October thus releasing the funds to the counties.