Following the county shilling: From budget to service delivery
The Constitution also provides for public participation in budgeting, giving residents an opportunity to influence priorities before budgets are approved.
The 47 counties in Kenya receive a significant portion of their annual budget, totaling Sh405.1 billion in 2025/26, from the national government through an equitable share. This is additional to Sh69.8 billion in grants and conditional funding. However, the real issue for citizens is whether these resources translate into improved services, such as healthcare, water supply, and road maintenance.
County finances derive from three main sources: the equitable share, conditional/unconditional grants, and own-source revenue generated by property rates and business permits. Despite the large figures, counties remain heavily reliant on the national government, with only about 10% of their expenditure sourced from own revenues. A World Bank assessment describes counties as "highly grant-dependent" due to weak revenue administration.
Once revenue is available, counties allocate funds between recurrent expenditure for daily operations and development expenditure for long-term projects. While a large development budget does not guarantee project completion, salaries are essential for service delivery. The law requires counties to spend at least 30% of their budgets on development programs, while wages and benefits should not exceed 35% of total revenue.
Health, agriculture, and infrastructure are key sectors funded by county budgets, intended to directly benefit residents. However, underperformance in revenue generation has led to budget shortfalls, making it challenging to meet development goals. Residents should expect county budgets to support essential services through transparent budgeting processes and public participation.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
