President William Ruto has assented to the Division of Revenue Bill, 2026, allocating Ksh428 billion for county government funding for the 2026/27 financial year.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The Bill, signed on Monday, June 15, increases county funding by Ksh13 billion from the Ksh415 billion allocated in the 2025/26 financial year.

Ruto said the allocation represents an increase of Ksh13 billion from the Ksh415 billion counties received in the 2025/26 financial year and accounts for 21 per cent of the most recent audited national revenue, exceeding the constitutional minimum requirement of 15 per cent.

“Assented to the Division of Revenue Bill, 2026, which provides for the sharing of nationally raised revenue between the National Government and County Governments for the 2026/27 Financial Year in accordance with the Constitution. The Bill allocates Ksh428 billion to county governments, representing an increase of Ksh13 billion, or 15 percent, over the Ksh415 billion allocated in the 2025/26 Financial Year,” he wrote.

📌 What You Need to Know

While the allocation signals a comparative boost for counties, it falls short of the proposal issued by the Council of Governors (CoG) in March when the Bill was under consideration by the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget.

The governors were pushing for higher budget allocations to counties, calling on the National Treasury to allocate Ksh534 billion.

Leaders cited financial strain in counties , noting that more responsibilities previously handled by the national government were being transferred to devolved units, a shift they said would stretch their capacity to effectively deliver services.

Ruto addressed the issue of devolution in his statement, pointing to the fact that the county allocation exceeds the minimum threshold stipulated by the Constitution.

“Significantly, the equitable share allocated to county governments exceeds the constitutional minimum threshold of 15 per cent, reaffirming our commitment to strengthening devolution and enhancing service delivery across the country,” he stated.

Even so, the higher allocation comes as county governments face increased scrutiny over transparency and accountability in the use of public funds, with rising cases of mismanagement.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke