Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Kericho County has placed among the top 10 best-performing counties in Kenya on development spending, achieving a 71.70% development budget absorption rate in the 2025/26 financial year, according to a report by the Controller of Budget.
The county channelled approximately KSh 2.7 billion towards development activities during the period, earning it a spot on the list of counties that exceeded the 70% absorption threshold nationally.
How Kericho compares nationally
Kilifi County led all 47 counties with an absorption rate of 84.52%, followed by Wajir at 83.03% and Mandera at 80%. P
Meru came in fourth at 79.04%, with Trans Nzoia at 73.94%, Kirinyaga at 73.89%, and Marsabit at 73.79% rounding out the top seven. Samburu and Kericho both recorded 71.70%, while Vihiga closed the top 10 with 70.16%.
Across all county governments, combined development spending stood at KSh 126.69 billion against a total development budget of KSh 233.69 billion, reflecting a national absorption challenge.
Controller of Budget flags structural concerns
While Kericho’s performance stands out, the Controller of Budget’s report raised broader concerns about the financial health of county governments.
High wage bills, mounting pending bills, stalled development projects, and expanding recurrent expenditure were identified as persistent obstacles limiting counties’ capacity to deploy funds into productive development activities.
The report noted that a substantial share of county resources is being absorbed by salaries, allowances, and operational costs, leaving less room for capital investment.
A number of development projects across counties also remain incomplete, while unpaid obligations continue to accumulate.
Kericho’s 71.70% rate places the county among a small group that managed to direct a significant majority of their allocated development funds into actual expenditure, despite the systemic pressures documented in the report.
