Mbadi Fires Back at Governors Over Salary Delays: “We Already Released the Money”
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has come out swinging, dismissing claims that salary delays in counties stem from the National Treasury’s failure to release funds. Speaking on Ramogi FM on Wednesday, September 24, Mbadi insisted that the Treasury had already done its part.
“We Cleared All Arrears”—Mbadi Sets the Record Straight
Mbadi clarified that the Treasury had released all pending allocations up to August. He emphasized that counties had enough funds to pay their workers.
“If money had not been released, all counties would have failed to pay salaries,” Mbadi stated. “We cleared arrears and released capitation for July and August,” he added.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, during the reading of the 2025/26 budget on Wednesday, June 12, 2025.
According to the Kenya Gazette dated September 19, the Treasury disbursed Ksh32.93 billion to devolved units in August.
September Funds Coming Soon, Mbadi Assures
While acknowledging that September’s capitation hadn’t yet been released, Mbadi promised swift action.
“We’ll disburse September funds before the end of the month,” he assured.
He then shifted blame to counties, accusing them of submitting flawed budgets late, which delays approval by the Controller of Budget (CoB).
“How can we release money when the CoB hasn’t approved their budgets?” Mbadi asked. “Counties must take responsibility,” he added.
Sakaja Blames Treasury, Mbadi Responds
Mbadi’s remarks come days after Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja blamed the Treasury for salary delays in the capital. Sakaja claimed Nairobi hadn’t received its equitable share for two months.
“We’ve relied on our own revenue to pay workers. It’s unsustainable,” Sakaja said on Radio Jambo.
However, Mbadi pushed back, urging counties to improve their financial discipline and submit accurate budgets on time.
Public Frustration Mounts as Workers Wait
Meanwhile, county workers continue to suffer. Many have gone weeks without pay, struggling to meet basic needs.
“We’ve waited too long. We need answers, not blame games,” said a nurse in Nairobi.
Citizens are demanding transparency and accountability from both national and county governments.
“Stop pointing fingers. Fix the system,” urged a Kisumu resident.
Mbadi Blames Counties for Salary Delays, Says Treasury Released Funds
As pressure builds, Kenyans hope leaders will stop the back-and-forth and prioritize workers’ welfare.
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Mbadi Fires Back at Governors Over Salary Delays: “We Already Released the Money”
