A fresh standoff has erupted at Nairobi City County after Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) rejected Governor Johnson Sakaja ‘s latest budget proposals, insisting that the county executive must first clear outstanding financial obligations before expecting the assembly to approve the spending plan.
The row threatens to delay the passage of the county’s budget and could affect the implementation of key development projects and delivery of services across the capital.
According to reports, the ward representatives declined to debate the budget estimates, accusing the county executive of failing to honor financial commitments owed to the County Assembly.
The MCAs argued that they would not proceed with the budget approval process until pending payments, including funds required for the smooth running of assembly operations, are released.
The legislators maintained that the continued delays have crippled their oversight and legislative functions, saying the executive cannot expect cooperation while the assembly struggles with operational challenges.
The latest dispute is the latest chapter in the long-running wrangles between the Nairobi County Executive and the County Assembly over finances, budget allocations and the release of funds.
Over the past year, MCAs have repeatedly accused Johnson Sakaja ‘s administration of delaying the disbursement of money meant for ward development projects, bursaries and assembly operations.
In previous confrontations, they even stormed Sakaja ‘s office demanding answers over stalled funding before shifting their protests to the Controller of Budget’s offices.
The current budget impasse comes at a critical time as counties race against statutory timelines to approve their budgets for the new financial year.
Political analysts say prolonged disagreements between the executive and the assembly could delay procurement processes, slow infrastructure projects and affect service delivery to Nairobi residents.
The standoff also reflects wider concerns over fiscal management within the county.
In recent years, Nairobi has faced criticism over rising pending bills, delayed contractor payments and slow implementation of development projects despite receiving billions of shillings in equitable share and locally generated revenue.
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MCAs have consistently argued that development spending should remain a priority, warning against excessive recurrent expenditure at the expense of projects that directly benefit residents.
As negotiations continue behind the scenes, all eyes will be on whether Governor Sakaja’s administration and the County Assembly can reach a compromise that allows the budget to be passed without further delays.
Failure to resolve the dispute quickly could disrupt county programmes and postpone the rollout of development initiatives planned for Nairobi’s 85 wards, leaving thousands of residents waiting longer for essential services and projects.
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