Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot has come out strongly in support of the Ksh450 billion allocation to counties, saying the funds are essential for the realisation of devolution and equitable development.

Speaking on a local TV station on, Monday, June 2, 2025, Cheruiyot argued that despite the constant scrutiny and criticism directed at county governments over their use of funds, they remain under-resourced and struggle to perform optimally due to limited allocations.

“There’s a relationship. In the sense that anytime you devote public funds to any institution or agency, it should be put to good use. That’s a standard across the board, and it should apply to both the national and county governments,” he said.

Cheruiyot noted that while public accountability is critical, it should not be used selectively to deny counties their rightful share of national revenue. He criticised individuals who use reports from the Auditor-General highlighting mismanagement in counties as an excuse to block or reduce county funding.

“What I find to be troublesome. Is that those that are not particularly keen on entrenching devolution in the country use the Auditor-General’s reports of malfeasance and maladministration in our counties as a basis for denying them resources. If that was to be flipped, then we’d say even the national government shouldn’t receive any resources,” he stated.

Cheruiyot argued that accountability concerns exist at both levels of government, yet county governments are often held to a stricter standard. He noted that the same Auditor-General frequently flags issues in state corporations and national ministries, yet this does not draw the same level of condemnation.

“We, as senators and part of the official family, still hold the view that we are yet to properly resource our counties to perform optimally,” he said.

 “What you’re giving them is barely enough to survive.”

High recurrent county expenditures

He pointed out that many county governments spend the bulk of their funds on salaries and other recurrent expenses, leaving very little for actual development. This, he said, is a structural issue, not necessarily a sign of corruption or inefficiency.

“Most of them only spend on actual development because of possibilities quite a fairly small amount,” he explained. “There will never be a situation where you have sufficient resources for everything. What our county governments need to do is to prioritise and plan realistically.”

He also acknowledged past delays in parliamentary processes related to audit oversight. Cheruiyot cited a recent court decision that highlighted the Senate’s failure to consider Auditor-General reports within the constitutionally mandated six-month timeframe.

“County governments went to court, and therefore Senate was indicted in the sense that we were considering reports even one or two years after the Auditor-General had released them,” he said. “So we had a lapse, and that is something we are correcting.”

Cheruiyot addressed concerns over fiscal discipline, pointing out that the current public discourse often exaggerates the problem or oversimplifies complex budgeting issues. He cautioned against what he termed as “over-sensationalising” of county financial management.

“Some of the things being said are actually not practical or possible,” he stated. “Every budget item has a vote and a supplier tied to it. The issue people refer to as ‘budgeted corruption’ comes down to inflated procurement costs — not that the money is stolen outright, but that it’s not being used efficiently.”

Still, Cheruiyot expressed optimism that reforms are underway, especially following public pressure for increased transparency.

 “This current financial year, from July 1, we have seen some movement and that’s important. Because it helps keep interest alive in accountability efforts.”

He reaffirmed his commitment to devolution and equitable growth across the country.

“We must resource our counties not just to survive, but to thrive. Only then will devolution work as envisioned in our Constitution.”