Kiambu County has recorded its highest own-source revenue since the advent of devolution, collecting Sh6.5 billion during the 2025/2026 financial year, a milestone the county attributes to digitised revenue collection systems and enhanced financial management.
Announcing the achievement, Governor Kimani Wamatangi said the record collection was realised through efficiency and reforms introduced since 2022 rather than increased taxes or higher service charges.
He said the county administration had focused on sealing revenue leakages, improving accountability and automating revenue collection processes, leading to a significant increase in local revenue.
“We are fully determined to sustain this upward momentum in our revenue collection. I am confident that in the coming year, we will not only maintain these results but also surpass the current record,” said Wamatangi.
The governor expressed optimism that the county would achieve the Senate’s Sh13.5 billion own-source revenue target in the coming years, noting that Kiambu also receives approximately Sh11.5 billion annually in equitable share allocations from the National Government.
County Executive Committee Member for Finance Nancy Kirumba attributed the improved performance to the automation of revenue collection, saying digitised systems had streamlined operations, enhanced transparency and significantly reduced revenue leakages.
She noted that the increase in local revenue has strengthened the county’s financial independence by reducing reliance on National Treasury disbursements and enabling faster implementation of development projects.
According to county officials, the enhanced revenue has financed the construction of 512 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres, expanded healthcare infrastructure through the establishment of 32 Level Three and Level Four health facilities, and supported the construction of 26 modern markets with thousands of trading stalls.
The funds have also supported agricultural programmes through the distribution of farm inputs to more than 750,000 farmers and facilitated the installation of 12,000 solar-powered street lights across the county to improve security and boost economic activities.
County officials said the latest performance reflects sustained growth in local revenue over the past four years, rising from Sh2.9 billion collected in 2022 to Sh5.45 billion in the 2024/2025 financial year before reaching the current record of Sh6.5 billion.
They noted that the improved revenue performance places Kiambu among the country’s leading counties in own-source revenue collection and strengthens its capacity to finance critical infrastructure and improve service delivery for residents.
By Hellen Lunalo
