Nairobi City County staff are facing a cash crunch as Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration stares at a second salary delay, citing delays in the approval and uploading of the county budget.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In a circular dated August 10, 2026, the County Secretary and Head of County Public Service informed all staff that the delay in budgetary allocations had affected the processing and release of funds needed to pay their salaries.

The county said employees would receive their July pay once the county budget is uploaded and the necessary funds are released.

“Management sincerely regrets the inconvenience and challenges that this situation may cause,” the county said, adding that the matter was receiving the highest priority.

📌 What You Need to Know

The administration said it was working to expedite the necessary processes to facilitate the release of funds and ensure salaries are paid immediately after the budget is uploaded.

Further, the county acknowledged that the delay could cause financial hardship to employees and their families and urged staff to remain patient and continue discharging their duties as the matter is resolved.

This salary delay comes as Nairobi County's management of public finances faces wider scrutiny. The 2025 County Budget Transparency Survey found that Nairobi's budget transparency had declined compared to the previous year.

Nairobi scored 67 out of 100 on the 2025 transparency index, down from 72 in 2024. The survey assesses counties based on the timeliness, availability, and comprehensiveness of budget information shared with the public.

The findings have placed renewed attention on how Nairobi County communicates and manages its public finances, although the transparency score is separate from the current delay in salary payments.

In addition, the county administration has also faced scrutiny over the management of public funds, with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission recently recovering about Ksh65.3 million during a raid at the home of a senior Nairobi County official in the Urban Planning Department in an alleged corruption investigation.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke