Ruto: I have cleared all counties arrears

President William Ruto has stated his government is starting a new financial year with no debts to counties.

Speaking during an interdenominational service, in Kajiado Central the President said that the funds were disbursed early this week.

” I have cleared all monies owed to all the 47 counties. I don’t want to start a new year with pending bills,”  Ruto said.

The President insisted that he is committed to the success of devolution and promised that his government would have cleared the arrears by end of June.

The National Treasury released Sh31.4 billion owed to the 47 county governments in arrears for the month of May, ending the perennial cash crunch in the devolved units.

The funds released on Monday are the final tranche of the Sh92 billion that the National Government owed the counties since March.

Governors have been protesting against delays by the National Treasury to release the cash due to counties claiming that services had been paralysed at the devolved units.

They will now be required to absorb the monies by July 15 following an extension of the deadline by the National Treasury from June 30.    BY THE STAR