Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has welcomed the proposed allocation of Sh428 billion to county governments in the 2026/2027 Financial Year from the equitable share of nationally raised revenue.
Governor Wavinya however urged the National Treasury to ensure timely disbursement of funds to avoid disruptions in service delivery.
The allocation represents an increase of Sh13 billion from the Sh415 billion allocated to county governments in the 2025/2026 FY. Machakos County has been allocated Sh10.5 billion.
Speaking at the Kenya School of Government’s Mombasa campus during the graduation ceremony of 200 Machakos County Government employees who completed a rigorous one-week training programme, Governor Ndeti said the Council of Governors (CoG) had requested Sh534 billion as an equitable share of revenue but welcomed the Sh428 billion proposed by the National Treasury.
“This will also go far in helping the counties, but it would have also been good if we were able to get the Sh534 billion because we already knew what our needs were,” said Governor Ndeti.
She added, “When CoG goes to ask for money, it goes to ask for money according to the needs of the counties. The Sh428 B proposal is okay, but if we could get Sh534 B, it would be better.”
Governor Ndeti affirmed that the funds will go a long way in promoting equitable development, supporting county operations, strengthening devolution, and enhancing the delivery of basic services.
The Governor also called for the timely release of funds to ensure efficient operations in county governments, many of which have been grappling with industrial actions by health workers due to unfulfilled Collective Bargaining Agreements.
She further noted that delayed disbursement significantly affects service delivery, particularly in the health sector, where millions of Kenyans depend on public health facilities for medical care. “We need the national government to work on making sure that we get our money on time.”
At the same time, the Governor challenged county governments to leverage technology to improve Own Source Revenue collection, noting that Machakos currently collects Sh3 billion and is projected to increase collections to Sh7 billion based on a revenue mapping report.
“We also have to look at the counties as business entities and make sure that we generate enough income, not just waiting for what the national government is giving us. As the county government of Machakos, we have moved far. I have not even increased taxes,” she said.
Touching on the national budget of Sh4.8 trillion, the Governor said the country must learn to live within its means. “It is tough times and tough times call for tough measures,” she added.
By Sadik Hassan
