Nairobi: Nairobi County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for Finance and Economic Affairs, Charles Kerich, is appealing to the Nairobi County employees to be patient as City Hall addresses their salary delay. Acknowledging the payment crisis, Kerich cites systemic challenges for the predicaments, saying that Nairobi's two previous supplementary budgets had been rejected by the Controller of Budget (COB), thus barring the use of the funds for salaries.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kerich clarified, 'The COB said we had exhausted the funds. We have now uploaded the new 2025/2026 budget. Nairobi was the first county to do so. But before accessing it, we must submit a Pending Bills Report.' This Report, which accounts for all outstanding payments, including salaries, third-party deductions, and supplier debts, is almost complete and once submitted and approved, will pave the way for Treasury disbursements.
Kerich admitted that the City County owes approximately Sh600 million in unpaid deductions to third parties and a structured repayment plan is being finalised. 'We are not running away from this. Once funds are released, July salaries will be prioritised. I won't promise what I can't deliver. But I am being honest; we are working on it,' he explained.
Meanwhile, workers have declared they will not relent in their demands until a sustainable solution is found over payment of delayed salaries and withheld third-party deductions. They expressed their plight, blaming the City County government for plunging them into financial hardships.
The outcry was evident during a charged workers' forum at City Hall, Nairobi, where Finance CEC Charles Kerich and the County Government Workers' Union (Nairobi Branch) Chairman, Anthony Kimingi, offered differing explanations for the crisis. Addressing hundreds of workers who staged a sit-in, Kimingi painted a grim picture of the suffering of employees.
Kimingi stated, 'The problem is money. Our workers are honest and dedicated. Some are deep in debt since they have not been paid for the last three months. Loan deductions are being made but not sent to banks. People are being blacklisted.' He further explained that Health Insurance Premiums deducted from pay slips are not reaching service providers, leaving employees stranded whenever they go to hospitals for services.
'Workers are being denied care despite valid insurance. Some are asked to pay Sh30,000 to Sh50,000 out of pocket. Statutory deductions like KRA taxes aren't being submitted either,' he added. Kimingi lamented past attempts to negotiate have failed, stating, 'We've signed return-to-work formulas, but management keeps defaulting. We've had enough of boardroom promises. We want answers on the ground.'
He questioned the whereabouts of billions disbursed to the County as Equitable Share of Revenue by the National Treasury, asking, 'Nairobi has reportedly received over Sh13.8 billion. Why haven't we been paid?'