- The Council of Governors delivered an ultimatum to the national administration, warning that they might halt county activities due to disputes surrounding the County Governments Additional Allocation Bill, 2025.
- The bill suggests cutting the budget by KSh 38.4 billion, a move that governors believe will hamper service provision and weaken the decentralization process.
- Governors are calling for the prompt release of KSh 78 billion in equitable share funds that are due to counties for the period from January to March.
- They encouraged the Senate to dismiss the Bill, deeming it unconstitutional and detrimental to the advancement of devolution.
Didacus Malowa, a reporter for INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL.co.ke, comes with more than three years of expertise in reporting on politics and contemporary issues in Kenya.
Nairobi The Council of Governors (CoG) has given a 14-day deadline to the national government, warning that they might cease activities in all 47 counties.
The county leaders stated that their demand hinged on the cancellation of the contentious County Governments Extra Allocation Act, 2025.
The draft legislation, approved by the National Assembly and currently under consideration by the Senate, would result in counties losing approximately KSh 38.4 billion due to reductions in their budgets.
Why Governors are protesting
At a press conference held on Friday, March 21, CoG Deputy Chairman and Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga denounced the bill, stating that it would hinder service provision and weaken decentralization efforts.
This clear-cut action is just another effort aimed at methodically undermining services across all 47 county administrations, and it also represents a direct challenge to the principles of decentralization outlined in our constitution. This situation isn’t an isolated event; instead, it’s part of the ongoing practice of deliberately and without justification cutting down the equitable share of revenue under the false pretense of financial shortages,” he stated.
Kahiga rejected the assertion made by the national government that the budget reductions were attributed to a decrease in revenues resulting from the removal of the Finance Bill 2024.
He highlighted that, even with those assertions, the government had boosted its spending by KSh 114 billion through the Supplementary Appropriations Act of 2025.
"These misleading claims highlight how loosely the national government approaches the devolution initiative. It’s important to mention that the counties were already committed to funding continuing endeavors," he further stated.
What appeal does CoG make to the senators?
The governors are urgently requesting the release of KSh 78 billion in equitable share funds that are due to the counties for the months of January, February, and March.
The County Governments Additional Allocation Bill, 2025, approved by the National Assembly on March 14, is currently pending discussion in the Senate.
They urged the senators to oppose it, claiming that it hinders the devolution process.
"We want to commend and thank the Senate for consistently upholding devolution as outlined in our constitution. We urge them to remain steadfast alongside Kenyan citizens in opposing these illegal budget cuts and protecting the achievements of devolution," Kahiga stated.
Governor Muthomi Njuki of Tharaka-Nithi County voiced his dissatisfaction, wondering why the national government would reduce financial support for initiatives that depend on outside funders and function under tight deadlines.
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