Kitui agriculture and livestock development executive Stephen Kimwele and his trade counterpart, Rose Mutuku, during the Wednesday press briefing at the county headquarters/Musembi Nzengu.A prolonged delay in the approval and clearance of Kitui’s 2026-27 budget has disrupted operations and put the devolved unit’s financial obligations under pressure.
The delay has affected the payment of employees’ salaries, with county workers yet to receive their July pay and indications that August salaries could also be delayed.
The situation has prompted senior county officials to publicly explain the financial challenges facing the county and outline the measures being taken to resolve the impasse.
Finance and economic planning executive Peter Kilonzo said county employees were expected to receive their delayed salaries by September 11. He spoke during a press briefing at the Kitui county government headquarters on Wednesday.
The budget impasse has also forced the postponement of the Kitui Agricultural Show, Trade and Investment Expo, which was scheduled for September 24–26.
Agriculture and livestock development executive Stephen Kimwele and his trade counterpart, Rose Mutuku, announced the event had been moved to March 11–13, 2027.
In a joint statement, the two county executives said the delayed approval of the budget had disrupted timelines for securing logistical support and procuring goods and services necessary for the successful hosting of the expo.
Despite the setback, they reaffirmed the county government’s commitment to working with partners and stakeholders to ensure the event is successfully held.
“The county government of Kitui appreciates the support and efforts of all stakeholders who have continued to work towards making the Kitui Agricultural Show, Trade and Investment Expo a success,” the CECs said.
Kilonzo attributed the delay in salary payments and other county obligations to the late approval and processing of the 2026-27 budget.
“We have deemed it necessary to issue a public statement explaining the delay in the approval and processing of the 2026-27 budget, as well as the measures we have taken to address the matter,” he said.
Kilonzo said the county executive submitted the budget estimates to the Kitui county assembly on April 30.
However, the assembly approved the budget on July 29, 29 days after the statutory deadline of June 30.
Following approval and assent by Governor Julius Malombe, the budget was submitted to the Controller of Budget (CoB) on August 10, for clearance and subsequent uploading to the Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis).
Kilonzo said further delays arose after the Controller of Budget sought clarification on several issues identified during the review process.
“On August 21, 2026, the office of the Controller of Budget wrote to the county treasury seeking clarification on a number of matters arising from the budget review,” he said.
Kilonzo said the county government responded to the queries and expected the budget to be cleared for uploading onto Ifmis by September 1.
Once uploaded, the county government would be able to process salaries and settle other financial obligations, he said.
“County staff salaries are therefore expected to be credited to employees’ bank accounts by September 11, at the latest,” Kilonzo said.
He assured county employees and other stakeholders the situation was temporary and efforts were underway to restore normal operations.
“Timely payment of staff salaries remains a top priority, as we consider our employees our most valuable resource and their welfare is of utmost importance,” he said.
Instant analysis
The Kitui budget impasse exposes how delays in the county budget cycle can quickly spill over into essential government operations and workers’ livelihoods. The most immediate concern is the delayed payment of salaries, with employees facing uncertainty over both July and August wages. The postponement of the agricultural show and trade expo also illustrates the wider economic consequences, potentially affecting businesses and stakeholders that had planned around the event. While the county government has attributed the delays to late budget approval and subsequent queries from the Controller of Budget, the episode raises questions about adherence to statutory timelines and coordination between institutions. The promised September 11 salary payment now provides a key test of whether normal operations can resume.
