Nairobi lawmaker Jeremiah Sifuna has criticized the county government for directing all health facilities to move their bank accounts from a tier-one bank to a lower-tier bank, calling the move “a clear sign of corruption.”
The controversy comes a week after County Secretary and Head of Public Service Godfrey Akumali issued a notice on November 5, directing officers in charge of county health facilities to transition their bank accounts. The decision, Akumali noted, was made during the 69th Nairobi City County Executive Committee meeting held on October 28.
“This correspondence hereby serves to communicate the resolution of the County Executive Committee to request that you complete the attached forms to facilitate the opening of your respective accounts,” Akumali stated. Officers were required to submit completed forms along with supporting documents to the office of the County Executive Committee Member, Finance and Economic Planning by Friday, November 7, 2025.
Sifuna, in a statement on November 12, questioned the rationale behind moving accounts from a reputable tier-one bank to a tier-three bank. “The health facilities in Nairobi have been banking with a tier-one bank with a solid history and reputation. How you wake up one day and direct all of them to move to a tier-three bank cannot be explained any other way than that corruption is at play,” he said.
County governments in Kenya are required by law to hold all bank accounts in a single bank to ensure accountability, transparency, and efficient financial oversight. This measure also simplifies budgeting, reporting, and auditing processes. The directive aligns with the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act of 2012 and the PFM (County Governments) Regulations of 2015, which require all county revenues to be remitted to a central County Revenue Fund (CRF) account.
The move has sparked public debate on whether the decision was driven by financial prudence or hidden interests, highlighting concerns over governance and transparency in Nairobi County’s health sector.
