NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 21 — The Council of Governors (CoG) on Monday warned of an imminent shutdown in Marsabit after the devolved unit run out of cash.
The Governors’ Council demanded an urgent disbursement of an outstanding Sh1.9 billion, a sum owed to the County by the National Treasury for the months of April, Many and June, to forestall the looming crisis.
“We note that the disbursement of the County’s funds has been unjustifiably delayed notwithstanding the zero cash balance in their County Revenue Fund (CRF) account at the Central Bank,” CoG Chairperson, Governor Martin Wambora (Embu), told the press.
Marsabit last received revenue allocations form the National Treasury in March according to the CoG.
Wambora added it was the only county, out of the forty-seven devolved units, that did not receive its allocations for April totaling Sh654,930,363.
“The Council questions the reason for singling out the County during the disbursement of the April allocations to Counties,” the CoG Chairperson said reading mischief in the Treasury’s move.
CoG said the Governor Mohammud Ali-led administration was unable to pay salaries and critical services including county-run hospitals could be jeopardized as county workers contemplate strike action.
“This unwarranted delay has, indeed, jeopardized the operations of the County. Additionally, the County is unable to pay salaries, suppliers or continue to offer essential services to citizens,” Wambora protested even as he noted the Council has delivered a letter to Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, tellingly Marsabit’s immediate former Governor, expressing the concerns.
He warned that the situations risks destabilizing the county having caused “undue unrest in the County as pending bills continue to increase.”
The Council reported outstanding disbursement for all the forty-seven counties at Sh40.2 billion (11 per cent) out for the Sh370 billion for the Financial Year 2021/2022.
Apart form the Sh654,930,363 April allocation for Marsabit, a cumulative Sh9.9 billion was due in May for sixteen counties.
None of the forty-seven counties has received June allocations amounting to Sh29.6 billion.
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