The Council of Governors (CoG) has issued a strong warning to the Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o.
They are accusing her of blocking the smooth flow of funds to counties and threatening to take legal action to remove her from office.
The governors say that Nyakang’o has created unnecessary red tape that has made it extremely difficult for counties to access money needed for basic services and development.
They describe her conduct as “unreasonable” and claim it has brought county operations to a near standstill.
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Speaking on Sunday, June 15, 2025, during the launch of the #DontHideMe campaign in Wajir—an initiative to support children with disabilities—Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi declared that the Council is prepared to seek Nyakang’o’s removal through Parliament.
“Let me be clear,” Governor Abdullahi said. “We are ready to follow the legal process. We will petition both the National Assembly and Senate to remove the Controller of Budget. She has made it almost impossible for ordinary Kenyans to benefit from county services.”
He added that counties are tired of endless bureaucratic delays that hurt service delivery. He pointed out that it makes no sense for counties like Wajir to transport invoices, contracts, and receipts all the way to Nairobi just to queue for funding approvals.
“Why should we carry documents across the country and wait for weeks in her office?” he asked. “It’s a form of sabotage. It kills the spirit of devolution.”
Blue checklist
The row between the governors and the Office of the Controller of Budget has been made worse by the recent introduction of a new funding condition known as the “blue checklist.”
This checklist must now be fulfilled before any money is released to county accounts. Governors argue that this requirement was introduced without any consultation or explanation.
“We asked why she brought in a new checklist so late in the process. She refused to meet us or explain,” another governor added. “It looks like she is just determined to block counties from using their budgets.”
Governors also claim that counties have not received their April and May allocations because Nyakang’o has refused to approve their expenditure plans.
They accuse her of being high-handed, biased, and unfairly tough on counties compared to the national government.
“This is the worst we’ve ever seen,” one governor said. “Her actions have caused widespread delays. We can’t even pay school fees or continue development projects. This is despite the President himself urging timely disbursements.”
Governor Abdullahi stressed that counties only receive about 9% of the national budget, yet still face strict restrictions and delays when accessing those funds.
He questioned whether the government is genuinely committed to devolution.
“The President has already spoken in support of counties,” he said. “But some government officials are still making life hard. The time for speeches is over. We now want action.”
As the crisis continues, tension between the Council of Governors and the Office of the Controller of Budget is rising.
The governors are calling for urgent reforms to ensure counties get their rightful funding on time, without being trapped in endless paperwork and unexplained delays.
