Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has raised serious concerns over widespread mismanagement of county finances, highlighting how governors are prioritizing personal and discretionary spending over essential public services.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Wednesday, Cherargei pointed to inflated allocations for office operations and entertainment, contrasting them with critical underfunded programs like bursaries and healthcare.
“There is a nice word called office operations, but in reality, it is used to buy furniture, host entertainment, and fund personal escapades of the governor,” he said.
He noted that in some counties, office operations were allocated over Sh414 million, while bursary programs received only Sh60 million. “Which one should be high?” he questioned, emphasizing the misaligned priorities.
Cherargei also criticized county assemblies for failing to provide proper oversight, saying many MCAs are intimidated or aligned with governors.
“Most of the MCs are frustrated and cannot exercise proper oversight. When you go to public functions, those who are pro-governor dominate, and they ignore their constitutional duty,” he said.
The senator further revealed that governors are exploiting revenue streams from hospitals and other public services to fund personal projects.
“Governors are doing business with the sick. In many counties, revenue from hospitals is securitized, with money meant for patients diverted for other uses. For example, 800 million from hospital fees in some counties is misappropriated,” he explained.
Cherargei warned that such practices are both unethical and economically harmful.
He cited Nairobi County as a key example, noting a vast gap between revenue potential and actual collections.
“Nairobi has a revenue potential of Sh660 billion, yet only Sh13 billion is collected. This shows poor management and lack of accountability,” he said, highlighting cases of duplicate receipts and funds being diverted before reaching the County Revenue Fund.
Cherargei called on the national treasury and county authorities to strengthen revenue collection and ensure transparency.
“Counties must prove they are doing all they can to collect and account for revenue properly,” he said, pointing to Narok and Nakuru counties as areas needing urgent reforms.
He concluded that without proper oversight and accountability, county financial mismanagement will continue to undermine essential services and erode public trust.
“Governors must stop using public resources for personal gains. Transparency and accountability are not optional—they are constitutional obligations,” Cherargei warned.