The Senate Finance and Budget Committee has been asked to provide an explanation for the Ksh48.5 billion in county monies that are currently sitting inactively at the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
Following a National Treasury report that showed the County Revenue Fund (CRF) account at CBK contained a sizable amount of unspent county cash, nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri requested a statement from the committee.
Okenyuri also requested a report detailing the money held in each county’s recurrent accounts as of January 2025, along with the amount designated for each county.
Since the majority of the money are designated for development, she also encouraged the committee to outline the economic consequences of the aforementioned counties’ inability to utilize the monies.
This trend coincides with ongoing financial difficulties in a number of counties. Some employees have had to put up with pay delays.
While acknowledging Okenyuri’s request, Deputy Senate Speaker Kathuri Murungi suggested that she ask the Treasury CS for more precise answers.
The National Treasury’s most recent report states that since October 2024, inactive monies in the CRF account have grown by Ksh6 billion.
Ksh1.9 billion in the recurrent account is part of the Ksh48.5 billion, but it is unaltered.
With Ksh3.46 billion in the CRF account, Kisii and Nakuru Counties have the largest amounts of unspent monies. The county’s development fund is only worth roughly Ksh6.8 million.
In contrast, Nakuru County has over Ksh2.78 billion in its CRF account that is only waiting to be used.
Uasin Gishu, West Pokot, Baringo, Kakamega, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kitui, Kwale, Mandera, Meru, Narok, Nyeri, Turkana, and Wajir are among the other counties that have more than Ksh900,000 in the CRF.
