Kenya counties report Sh172 billion in unpaid bills and Sh17 billion in travel costs

Kenya's 47 county governments recorded Sh172 billion in unpaid bills to suppliers and service providers as of June 30, 2026. According to the Budget Implementation Review Report released by Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o, the devolved units also spent over Sh17 billion on local and international travel during the same financial year.

Nairobi County recorded the highest travel expenditure at Sh850 million, followed by Narok (Sh758 million), Nakuru (Sh655 million), Samburu (Sh614 million), and Tana River (Sh579 million). Officials traveled to international destinations including Dubai, Singapore, New York, and London, as well as Dodoma, for purposes such as leadership training and benchmarking exercises.

Nyakang’o questioned the necessity of some expenditures, noting that certain training and benchmarking activities could have been conducted within Kenya. Regarding unpaid obligations, Nairobi County accounted for the largest portion of pending bills, totaling Sh86.90 billion, while Kilifi and Kiambu also reported significant outstanding balances.