Treasury to release funds to Counties this week, CS Yatani says – KBC

The National Treasury will release a total of ksh 39 billion to the County Governments by the by the end of this week, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Amb. Ukur Yatani, has said.

Yatani who appeared before the Senate Finance and Budget Committee, today, told Senators the Ministry will endeavor to disburse the funds to clear April and part of March arrears.

“We will ensure that we disburse Ksh 39 billion by close of day Friday,” he told the Committee, attributing the delay to cash collection slowdown occasioned by the COVID- 19 pandemic.

The CS remarks come after the Council of Governors threatened to shut down Counties next Thursday if the funds are not released by Friday.

Council of Governors Chairperson Martin Wambora decried frequent delays to disburse the cash in what they said has crippled operations and delivery of critical services to residents.

“National Treasury is yet to release cash to Counties like Nairobi for up to six months now,” Wambora said during yesterday’s media brief, adding that a total of Ksh 102.6 billion is yet to be disbursed to the 47 devolved units.

Wambora had noted that the Treasury has not only failed to comply with the Constitution and more so the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 which requires that Treasury release cash to Counties by 15th of every month.