- Governors demand reinstatement of slashed county funds or risk halting services.
- Critical sectors like health, agriculture, and infrastructure hit by budget cuts.
- Treasury CS John Mbadi proposes reducing counties from 47 to 14 or scrapping devolution altogether.
Governors have issued a stern warning that county operations could grind to a halt if the government fails to reinstate crucial funding. The threat follows the passage of the County Governments Additional Allocation Bill, 2025, which significantly reduced financial support for key sectors, including health, agriculture, water, roads, and trade.
The Council of Governors (CoG) has strongly opposed the budget cuts, terming them unconstitutional and detrimental to service delivery. The county chiefs are also demanding that the National Treasury immediately release Ksh. 78.03 billion in pending equitable share arrears for January, February, and March.
Amid the funding row, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has stirred further debate by proposing a radical overhaul of the devolved system. He suggests reducing the number of counties from 47 to 14 or even abolishing devolution altogether. According to Mbadi, counties have ballooned the national wage bill and have become a breeding ground for financial mismanagement. He argues that reverting to the old provincial system would streamline governance and ease the strain on public finances.
The standoff between the counties and the national government continues to escalate, raising concerns about the future of devolution and essential public services.
