The impasse in unlocking the Division of Revenue Bill between the National Assembly and the Senate has delayed the release of July and August salaries for Kitui County employees, says County Secretary, Dr. Joshua Chepchieng.
In a Memo dated September 3, 2019 and seen by Kenya News Agency on Thursday, Dr. Chepchieng said the impasse which has dragged for long is apparent that the National Treasury may not release funds for the 2019/2020 Financial Year before the matter is concluded.
“For this reason therefore, County Governments are unlikely to pay service providers and salaries for the month of August at the appropriate time,” read part of the letter copied to all Chief Officers in the county.
As a result, the County Secretary appealed to staff to exercise patience as the Council of Governors endeavours to find a solution to the matter.
Dr. Chepchieng, who reported on duty last month replaced the long serving Ag County Secretary Alex Kimanzi, a former District Commissioner who served in Kitui during his hey days.
He said that the Council of Governors is taking various steps to unlock the standoff between the two houses with a view to release the funds from the National Treasury.
Early last month, County Employees downed the tools demanding payment of their July salaries but an urgent meeting was convened and Governor Charity Ngilu managed to convince them to get back to work with a promise of a consolidated July and August salaries pay.
This notwithstanding, County Employees June salaries were paid at the end of July after raising an uproar over the delay after a strike.
Kimanzi, in his letter dated July 4, 2019 lamented that the shooting down of the County Supplementary Budget 2019 was reason for the delayed salaries.
By Yobesh Onwong’a
