Governors have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the ongoing Division of Revenue negotiations, accusing the national government of sidelining them in the budgetary process. Through the Council of Governors (CoG), the county chiefs described their participation in the talks as tokenistic, warning that they may boycott future engagements if their input continues to be ignored.
CoG Chair and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, said the governors had proposed an equitable revenue share of Sh536 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year. However, the National Treasury, under Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, has only allocated Sh405 billion to counties over Sh130 billion less than what the CoG deems necessary.
“It will be pointless to attend such negotiations if the allocation for the 2025/26 financial year is anything to go by,” Abdullahi stated. “Our participation appears to be reduced to a mere formality.”
The governors argue that the proposed allocation does not reflect the devolved functions currently managed by counties. Abdullahi highlighted that approximately 200 functions worth about Sh150 billion have been transferred from the national government to county governments. Despite this significant shift in responsibilities, the CoG contends that these changes have not been adequately accounted for in the revenue-sharing formula.
The continued underfunding, governors say, threatens to cripple service delivery at the county level. Critical sectors such as health, agriculture, and infrastructure—which are heavily devolved—are likely to suffer as a result of inadequate financial support from the national government.
The CoG is now calling for a more transparent and inclusive negotiation process that genuinely reflects the needs and obligations of county governments. They demand a review of the current formula to align it with the actual cost of devolved services.
As tensions rise, the looming standoff could affect future planning and implementation of county development agendas, further straining relations between national and devolved units. Unless a consensus is reached soon, the threat of a boycott could set the stage for a deeper constitutional and political crisis in Kenya’s devolved governance framework.
