Governors protest delay by CoB to approve counties requisitions

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The Council of Governors (CoG) has raised concern over delays by the Controller of Budget (CoB) to approve counties' requisitions, hindering access to Sh32.76 billion in equitable share arrears for May.

Despite the national government disbursing the funds, counties are yet to utilise the same due to bureaucracy.

Speaking in Kakamega, Governor Fernandes Barasa who is the CoG Chairperson of the Finance and Economic Planning Committee, criticised the CoB for the delay to approve the funds.

"Counties are struggling to access the funds because the Controller of Budget is taking too long to approve the requisitions made by finance ministers from the 47 counties," Barasa said.

He urged the CoB to expedite the approval process to ensure budget absorption and the execution of June expenses.

"We extended the Integrated Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS) by two weeks to absorb the funds, but delays in approvals are jeopardizing this extension," Barasa added.

The governor also called for timely disbursements to ensure implementation of crucial county projects, particularly in the health sector.

He appealed to the national government to release the Sh30.86 billion due for June.

"To maintain health programs and other initiatives, we need timely disbursement of equitable share," he said.

The accumulation of pending bills in counties is a growing concern if approvals and disbursements continue to lag.

Last week, governors urged senators to push the Exchequer and the CoB to expedite disbursement of funds, saying that the delays significantly hamper development projects.

"If senators are true champions of devolution, they should address the disbursement delays. It's unacceptable that the National Treasury started the new financial year with June arrears of Sh30.83 billion owed to counties," Barasa said.

He called for automation of the approval process to end delays. "Instead of counties sending their executive members to pursue disbursements for almost two weeks, the Controller of Budget could use digital documents to fast-track the process," he said.

Last week, governors requested the National Treasury to extend the IFMIS opening for three weeks post-financial year closure. This extension aims to allow counties to absorb Sh67 billion in equitable shares for April and May, pending for three months.

At the Inter-Governmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) Summit on May 6, 2024, the Deputy President noted that the total amount of pending bills reported by the 47 counties as of March 31, 2024, stood at Sh150.66 billion.