Nairobi MCAs demand disclosure of Nairobi Pay server locations amid salary delays
The move comes amid concerns that the county’s reported Sh13.7 billion collections cannot be independently verified.
Nairobi Members of County Assembly have demanded full disclosure from Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration on the location of the Nairobi Pay servers and access to revenue records, amid concerns that the county’s reported Sh13.7 billion collections cannot be independently verified.
In a heated session at City Hall, the legislators accused the county executive of presenting “cooked figures” without the necessary bank statements to support them.
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Through the ICT Committee Chairperson and Hospital Ward MCA Mark Ruyi, they noted that repeated requests for documentation have been ignored, leaving the assembly unable to hold the county executive accountable for its daily revenue reporting.
The MCAs now want the county executive to provide certified copies of bank statements for previous financial years and details of the exact location of the servers. During the session, several members dismissed the county’s revenue figures as inaccurate due to the lack of supporting documents.
Kayole Central MCA Jeremiah Themendu pressed the county executive for transparency.
“Where are the servers of this system located? How much is actually collected beyond the figures they announce? How come we cannot pay salaries when the county collects revenue every day?” he posed.
Mike Gumo, Innovation and Digital Economy Executive, whose department oversees ICT, clarified the limits of his team’s role.
“Our role is to offer support. We ensure revenue reaches the account by fixing technical issues. We do not have access to the county’s bank accounts since we are not signatories,” he said, adding that Chief Officer for Finance Asha Abdi is the only person authorised to provide the bank statements.
Mathare North MCA Oscar Lore emphasised the difficulty of verifying the county’s reported collections without proper documentation.
“The big question is how we can confirm that what the county declares is accurate. We can only do this with supporting documents showing money entering county accounts. But every time we ask, the county executive takes us in circles,” he said.
Ruyi, who chaired the session, urged the county executive to present the requested documents to the assembly to enable effective oversight of revenue collection and expenditure.
The dispute follows County Secretary Godfrey Akumali’s announcement that August 2025 salaries would be delayed due to late equitable share disbursements from the National Treasury.
Staff were informed that the county “fully appreciates that timely salary payment is critical” and that management is prioritising the matter while engaging the Treasury to release funds. The county apologised for the inconvenience and appealed to staff for patience.
Nairobi County recorded Sh13.7 billion in revenue in the last financial year, its highest ever, but still below the Sh20 billion target. Auditors say they have been denied access to Nairobi Pay for two years, making it impossible to verify the county’s figures.
External auditors told a Justice Committee that budget cuts and administrative frustrations had hindered their work, with some resigning. Letters to the governor seeking system access have also gone unanswered.
An ad hoc committee formed in 2023, chaired by Makongeni MCA Peter Imwatok, was tasked with investigating revenue losses, including ownership of the Nairobi Revenue Service (NRS), formerly used by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Service, and server locations. Despite more than 20 meetings costing millions, the committee has yet to present a report, with members blaming one another for the delays.
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