The approval of budgets for both National and County Governments could soon take mere minutes if an ambitious automation project proposed by the Controller of Budget (COB), Dr Margaret Nyakang’o, is implemented. However, the proposal—aimed at reducing inefficiencies in budget withdrawals—has hit a major roadblock due to a lack of funding from the National Treasury.
Dr. Nyakang’o has stressed the urgent need for automation, saying it would slash time lost to manual processing and cut paperwork significantly. While automation is already in place for the National Government, counties have yet to benefit due to budget constraints. “We requested funds to automate budget withdrawals for counties, but we’ve received no allocation,” she lamented.
Speaking before the Senate Finance and Budget Committee during the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) presentation, Dr. Nyakang’o said her office sought Sh50 million to develop the Controller of Budget Management Information System (COBMIS) and an automated Exchequer Requisition system. The National Treasury, however, did not honour the request, further delaying these reforms.
The Office of the Controller of Budget (OCOB) also faces broader financial strain. Dr Nyakang’o revealed that her office requested Sh1.6 billion for the 2025/26 financial year but was allocated only Sh777.5 million in the BPS. She warned that this cut would severely limit her office’s ability to oversee government spending effectively.
Severe Staffing and Operational Challenges
Beyond funding, the OCOB is grappling with staffing shortages. Since its creation under the 2010 Constitution, staff have lacked career progression training, foreign travel opportunities, or promotions. Each county currently has just one OCOB officer—a situation Dr Nyakang’o says has led to low morale and inefficiencies.
To address this, she’s pushing for an additional Sh182 million to hire a second officer for each of Kenya’s 47 counties. “We have poor staffing at the county level. One demoralized officer per county, untrained and unpromoted for over a decade, isn’t enough,” she said.
In collaboration with the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the OCOB has drafted career progression guidelines. These would tie promotions to merit, service length, and performance.
Mounting Pending Bills Crisis
Dr. Nyakang’o also highlighted the growing pending bills crisis. Her office’s latest figures show:
- National Government: Sh524.07 billion
- County Governments: Sh180.52 billion
She warned that unresolved bills could devastate businesses supplying goods and services to the government. “We’ve enforced compliance by requiring counties to submit payment plans for pending bills at the start of each financial year, per the National Treasury’s circular,” she said. She also stressed the need for ongoing monitoring of government spending, especially on personnel emoluments, to ensure financial compliance.
A Call for Collaboration
Dr. Nyakang’o urged broader stakeholder engagement to prioritize funding for high-impact government programs while deferring less critical ones. Her push for increased funding for the OCOB and the Auditor General won support from Senator Richard Onyonka (Kisii), who praised their role in safeguarding public funds.
With Kenya facing persistent public finance challenges, automation could bring efficiency, transparency, and accountability. Yet, without National Treasury support, this vision of a streamlined budget approval process remains out of reach.
