Trans Nzoia County approves payment of Sh1 billion pending bills

Contractors in Trans-Nzoia County have reason to be optimistic following the County Assembly's approval of Sh1 billion to pay accrued pending bills.

Ward representatives directed all departments to itemize their pending bills and submit them to the Finance Department for approval and subsequent payment.

Last Thursday, the Budget and Appropriation Committee, chaired by Nabiswa Ward MCA Martin Jamanuru, presented a budget of 9.3 billion shillings for the 2025/2026 financial year, which was subsequently approved.

Jamanuru instructed the executive to complete and forward a detailed list of pending bills to the committee for verification before any spending occurs on the pending bills' allocation.

The committee has directed the Finance Department to manage all pending bills for improved oversight and execution.

“We have allocated 1 billion shillings to enable the Governor to clear the accrued pending bills. However, moving forward, we will establish clear guidelines to prevent these pending bills from accumulating,” said Sarah Lubano, a member of the Budget Committee in the County Assembly.

In the allocation for pending bills, the Finance Department received the largest share of Sh 200 million, while the Roads and Infrastructure Department was allocated  Sh 136 million, and the Health Department is set to receive Sh 118 million to settle the bills.

Only two departments received the least allocation for pending bills: Public Works and Energy, which received Sh 3.9 million, and Economic Planning, which received Sh 3.5 million.

Governor George Natembeya stated that the funds would help alleviate the burden of pending bills that have hindered the county's financial management.

“With the  Sh1 billion, we will pay all pending bills. This means all contractors and suppliers will finally receive their dues,” said Natembeya.

He noted that the pending bills, which originated from the previous administration, have long been an obstacle to development and have frustrated honest contractors who worked with the devolved unit.

“My administration is committed to resolving the issue of pending bills, which will restore trust, unlock stalled projects, and advance our economy,” said Natembeya.

Last year, the governor acknowledged that the county was burdened with substantial pending bills exceeding  Sh1.5 billion, inherited from former Governor Patrick Khaemba's administration, some of which were suspected to be dubious and illegal.

The devolved unit still owes contractors and suppliers millions of shillings that it has been unable to verify to facilitate the settlement of these debts.

Natembeya inherited over Sh 1.6 billion in pending bills and initiated an investigation into expenditures related to the amounts owed to contractors and suppliers.

In March 2023, a task force established by the governor to investigate the Sh1.6 billion in pending bills and audit human resources found that only Sh 551 million of the total amount was eligible for payment.

The report, led by former Auditor General Edward Ouko, revealed that 67 percent of the pending bills were deemed ineligible for payment, indicating that several purported contractors would not be compensated for supplying non-existent goods during former Governor Patrick Khaemba's tenure.

Additionally, the report highlighted uncontrolled and flawed procurement methods that were neither monitored nor recorded, unsupported bills, and a lack of evidence for the receipt of goods and services delivered to the devolved unit.

However, in September 2023, a High Court sitting in Kitale overturned the report following a legal challenge regarding the legitimacy of the pending bills and the human resource task force.

High Court Judge Justice Antony Mrima ruled against the report, stating that auditing is a specified role of the office of the Auditor General, and dismissed the task force's findings as null and void.

The court noted that taking such measures constituted an overreach of the powers of the Auditor General and related offices.

Natembeya previously expressed his frustrations regarding unscrupulous contractors operating as "tenderpreneurs" with the county government.

"My administration will only approve payments for legitimate work and supplies to prevent the misuse of public funds," said the governor.

He warned that contractors who violate procurement procedures would not be paid, as this constitutes fraud and corruption.

"I have put procurement officers on notice who approve fake tenders to receive kickbacks. High-level integrity must be maintained in the procurement process, and any compromises will not be tolerated," he stated.

To prevent future accumulation of bills, Natembeya pledged that his administration would ensure financial discipline by only approving tenders and implementing projects within budgetary limits.