Nairobi County confirms delay in July salaries, gives way forward

The Nairobi City County has informed employees that payment of their July 2026 salaries has been delayed following a delay in the approval and uploading of the county budget.

In a circular dated August 10, 2026, Acting County Secretary and Head of County Public Service Godfrey Akumali said the delay had affected the processing and release of funds needed to pay county staff.

“The Nairobi City County Government wishes to inform all employees that there is a delay in the payment of July 2026 salaries, occasioned by the delay in the approval and uploading of the County Budget,” the circular states.

The Governor Johnson Sakaja administration said the situation was being treated as a priority and that efforts were underway to complete the necessary processes to facilitate the release of the funds.

“Every effort is being made to expedite the necessary processes to facilitate the release of funds and ensure that salaries are paid immediately upon the uploading of the County Budget,” Akumali added.

The administration acknowledged that the delay could cause financial difficulties for employees and their families, asking staff to remain patient as the county works to resolve the matter.

“Management appreciates your patience, cooperation, and professionalism during this period and will continue to keep staff informed as further updates become available,” the circular added.

The announcement comes amid ongoing concerns over Nairobi County’s financial obligations, including a large backlog of pending bills owed to suppliers, contractors and service providers.

Meanwhile, hundreds of suppliers at Nairobi City Hall could finally get relief after the Nairobi County Assembly passed a motion seeking to compel the administration to settle verified pending bills.

The motion, sponsored by Woodley/Kenyatta Golf Course MCA Davidson Ngibuini, popularly known as DNG, gives Governor Johnson Sakaja 90 days to come up with a clear plan to settle eligible trade payables as a first charge on the county budget in the subsequent financial year in which the liability is recognised.

Ngibuini had tabled the Notice of Motion on July 21, when the Assembly resumed plenary sittings after recess.

In the motion, the MCA cited Article 201 of the Constitution, which sets out principles including openness, accountability and prudent and responsible use of public funds.

He also cited Section 104 of the Public Finance Management Act and Regulation 55(2)(b) of the County Public Financial Management Regulations, which require county governments to prioritise the settlement of eligible trade payables as a first charge on the budget in the subsequent financial year in which the liability is recognised.

The motion highlighted figures from the Controller of Budget showing that Nairobi had the highest level of ageing trade payables among counties.

According to the figures cited in the motion, Nairobi had KSh81.79 billion in trade payables during the first nine months of the 2025/26 financial year, accounting for 53 percent of all county government payables. Of this amount, KSh61.61 billion was more than three years old.

The motion further stated that delayed payments had affected contractors, suppliers and service providers, including small and medium-sized enterprises.

The salary delay development follows a Parliamentary Budget Office report released last week which ranked Nairobi as the country’s worst-performing county in managing pending bills.

The County Fiscal Performance Measurement Index gave Nairobi an “E” grade and a score of virtually zero in both the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years.

“Nairobi City County having pending bills far exceeding three times its total annual revenue, it represents the most extreme case of fiscal insolvency among all counties,” the PBO report stated.

The report also warned that the backlog could affect service delivery and payments to suppliers and contractors.

Figures from the Controller of Budget’s 2024/25 county budget implementation review showed Nairobi had KSh86.77 billion in pending bills, the highest among the 47 counties.

The latest salary delay is not the first time Nairobi County workers have faced disruptions in pay.

In 2025, Governor Sakaja attributed delayed salaries to delays in the disbursement of the county’s equitable share from the National Treasury, saying the county had not received the allocation for two months.