Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o Stories

Controller of Budget warns of funding delays as counties miss budget deadlines
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jul 30, 2025

Two months into the new financial year, only 15 county governments have submitted their budgets, and of these, only Nairobi and Kisii have received fu...

CBK admits it lacks authority to shut illegal county bank accounts
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jul 25, 2025

This loophole has led to a sharp increase in county accounts at commercial banks. A recent report by Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakango revealed t...

Controller of Budget halts funds to counties over expired bursary, loan programmes
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jul 15, 2025

Nyakang’o revealed that many devolved units have continued to operate public funds whose legal lifespan had ended without proper renewal by the county...

Controller of Budget proposes funding freeze for counties involved in prolonged leadership wrangles
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 21, 2025

Nyakang’o urged Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to suspend funds to institutions that have failed to resolve internal disputes within three mont...

Parliament, TSC, Education and Roads departments faulted for delayed billion-shilling projects
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jun 16, 2025

The Controller of Budget has criticised the slow pace of implementation, warning that critical services risk being undermined due to prolonged project...

Government cuts top officials’ salary budget by Sh600 million after audit flags overestimation
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jun 16, 2025

Between July 2024 and March 2025, the government spent Sh2.97 billion on salaries to state officers, a rise from Sh2.49 billion spent in a similar per...

Counties spend twice as much on salaries as on development, Controller of Budget report reveals
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 11, 2025

Overall, the counties used Sh229.62 billion on recurrent expenses—about 80 per cent of total expenditure—leaving development activities grossly underf...

Audit reveals Sh3 billion spent in nine months at Office of the President amid austerity pledges
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 11, 2025

The report by Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakango shows that Sh1.2 billion was used on salaries, Sh145.3 million on domestic travel, and Sh16.9 mil...

Raila's failed AU bid drove Sh48.8 billion in extra spending, budget report reveals
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 11, 2025

The Foreign Affairs Ministry asked for Sh523.8 million to support Raila’s campaign for the top continental post, but only Sh216.3 million was approved...

Bursary approvals stall as Controller of Budget seeks court clarity
Lucy Mumbi  |  Apr 30, 2025

Through a certificate of urgency signed by legal officer Abigael Rasugu, she argues that the lack of clarity on these orders has paralysed bursary pro...

High revenue expectations behind pending bills, warns Controller of Budget
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Apr 26, 2025

Nairobi has been known to project a collection of Sh20 billion, only to collect Sh12 billion, leaving a shortfall of Sh8 billion, which then contribut...

Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o sent away by MPs over "poor preparation"
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Apr 11, 2025

MP Duncan Mathenge from Nyeri Town expressed concern over her conduct, saying she should have submitted the documents two days before the meeting.

Governors-MCA alliances undermining oversight, fueling corruption, warns Controller of Budget
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Mar 20, 2025

Nyakang'o said some MCAs align themselves with governors, compromising their role in scrutinizing county finances.

Treasury withdrew Sh11 billion emergency funds to pay doctors, contractors
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Mar 18, 2025

A report by the CoB covering the six months leading up to December 2024 reveals that Sh1.75 billion was withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund on Decemb...

Concerns over financial priorities as Sh8bn put into State House, lodges renovations
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Mar 14, 2025

The revelations have reignited concerns over government expenditure, especially at a time when Kenyans continue to grapple with a high cost of living

No budget approvals without pending bills payment plans, CoB warns
Lucy Mumbi  |  Mar 12, 2025

Nyakang’o emphasised that her office would enforce measures to ensure government institutions work towards achieving a wage bill to revenue ratio of 3...

Govt making billions in domestic debt payments off-system, Controller of Budget warns
Lucy Mumbi  |  Feb 23, 2025

Some requisitions submitted for her approval lack specifics and are presented in lump sums, making it impossible to establish a clear breakdown of the...

PSC flags over 2,000 government workers paid off-system in payroll breach
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Feb 04, 2025

The review shows that only 411 of the affected employees were listed in the official staff biodata, contrary to public service regulations.

State agencies miss development spending targets by Sh50 billion
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jan 10, 2025

The low spending is mainly due to delays in the disbursement of funds by the Treasury, coupled with the effects of budget rationalisation under the Su...

Health ministry flagged for low development budget absorption despite high funding
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jan 08, 2025

CoB Margaret Nyakang’o commented on the low development budget absorption, stating, that this indicates that some planned activities were not implemen...

State faces stalled projects, revenue shortfall after Finance Bill withdrawal
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Dec 26, 2024

Development expenditure during the first quarter of the financial year amounted to Sh106.39 billion, translating to an absorption rate of 17 per cent,...

Controller of Budget sounds alarm as Kenya's debt hits 67% of GDP
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Dec 25, 2024

The current public debt currently stands at 67 per cent of GDP, amounting to Sh10.79 trillion as of September 30, 2024, a sharp increase from Sh10.58...

Unpaid PAYE, pension deductions for civil servants hit Sh6.36bn in three months
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Dec 24, 2024

The CoB's report reveals that unremitted PAYE alone rose by Sh3.85 billion, bringing the total outstanding amount to Sh22.89 billion.

Senators push for stronger budget oversight to tackle counties' debt crisis
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Dec 19, 2024

The request follows the latest report by the CoB, which highlights the alarming scale of unpaid bills within county governments.

Counties operating 2,421 commercial bank accounts illegally - Controller of Budget
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Dec 07, 2024

This marks a sharp rise of over 400 accounts compared to the 2,000 reported in the previous financial year.

Governors set for showdown with senators over extravagant spending
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 30, 2024

The report, which highlighted Sh17.60 billion spent on domestic and foreign travel, has prompted the Senate's Finance and Budget Committee to take act...

State House among govt agencies exposed for spending billions outside approved budget
Lucy Mumbi  |  Sep 23, 2024

In her latest budget implementation review report, Nyakang’o disclosed that State House requested an additional Sh2.858 billion on April 9, primarily...

Audit exposes widespread payroll fraud across counties as wage bill soars
Lucy Mumbi  |  Sep 23, 2024

The report shows that for the financial year ending June 30, 2023, counties disbursed Sh16 billion in salaries through manual payroll systems, despite...

Governors, MCAs splash Sh17.6bn on trips as counties struggle with cash crunch
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Sep 13, 2024

This includes Sh15.28 billion for domestic trips and Sh2.32 billion for foreign journeys.

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