PH
Nakuru County executive for Finance, Ann Njenga has said that the national government has not been releasing money to the County as required.
Njenga said the debt of KES 2.4 billion the County has dates back to June 2015 when the national government failed to give them money for three months.
She said that the debt was also inclusive of KES 1.3 billion which was committed to unfinished projects in the County.
“This is not our fault because sometimes the national Treasury fails to release money on time which strains our operations,” she said.
She also said that that the County was also in debt since KES 5 billion is spend on wages whereas the remaining KES 2 billion is spend on development.
Last week on Friday, Nakuru County was named by the Salary and Remuneration Commission as the County with the highest debt of KES 2.4 billion in Rift Valley.
A section of residents in Nakuru town have asked Governor Kinuthia Mbugua to explain why the County has debt of KES 2.4 billion.
The residents who are mainly business people said it is a shame that four years after devolution, Nakuru County government has continued to accumulate debt.
Charles Maina, an investor in the town said that last week when the President visited, he said the Nakuru County had received KES 23 billion since 2013 but still the County is still languishing in debts.
Maina said the Governor ought to explain to County residents how his government spent the millions of shillings he was given by the national government.
“It is impossible to receive KES 23 billion from the national government and still accumulate a debt of KES 2.4 billion. The Governor should explain,” he said.
The businessman said the debt is a clear indication that County economy has either stagnated or is about to plunder.
Another trader in the town, Perris Wairimu said that Governor Mbugua should explain where there County has been taking local revenue which they collect monthly.
