Governors attribute counties' strikes to delayed disbursement of funds by government

NAIROBI: Governors have blamed the frequent workers' strikes in counties on delays by the Government in releasing funds.

The Council of Governors (CoG) has pressed Parliament to intervene in the matter and ensure the Treasury releases funds on time, affirming that counties are yet to receive resources since June.

Tuesday, four governors who appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Health said the frequent strikes by county employees, especially the health personnel, are as a result of delayed salaries.

The county chiefs also revealed that they were yet to get paid.

They said the health workers' boycotts were also attributed to failure by the Government to employ interns as well as delayed promotion of paramedical staffs.

Governors Isaac Ruto (Bomet), Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), James Ongwae (Kisii) and Jack Ranguma (Kisumu) differed with MPs over their assertion that the numerous strikes witnessed in counties affirms failure by the counties to satisfy employee needs.

"The recurrent strikes have nothing to do with devolution. The Treasury has not released funds since June. How do you expect counties to pay salaries and run operations without resources?" questioned Mr Ongwae.

The governor, who is also the council's committee chairman for labour and Human Resource, condemned the delays, saying it interferes the smooth operations of county activities.

"Parliament should also intervene on this matter to ensure operations of counties are not paralysed. We receive funds in monthly installments and the last disbursements were in June," said Ongwae.

He continued: "This delay has affected all county workers including governors. Some counties, which had savings, have exhausted the funds and others are using overdrafts. It is not fair to accuse the counties yet the problem lies with the Government."

Mr Ruto reprimanded the Treasury Cabinet secretary for starving counties of funds. "Funds are supposed to be released by 15th of every month. We are not to blame for the industrial action, Rotich is. Counties cannot appropriate funds collected at source as provided for in the Public Finance Management Act," said Mr Ruto.

Ongwae urged MPs to amend the Act to allow counties to use money at source especially in the Health sector during the budgetary transitional period.