Several county governments, including Nairobi, have issued notices to workers over delays in the payment of their July 2026 salaries, with the affected devolved units citing various challenges behind the delays.
On August 10, Nairobi County Head of Public Service Godfrey Akumali said the delay had significantly affected the processing and release of funds.
“Management sincerely regrets the inconvenience and challenges that this situation may cause and wishes to assure all staff that the matter is receiving the highest priority. We recognize that this delay may occasion financial hardship to employees and their families, ” the statement read in part.
He maintained that the release of funds is being processed expeditiously and urged staff members to remain patient and dutiful in their responsibilities.
Siaya County Announces Salary Delay
At the same time, Siaya County Government notified staff of delays in the payment of their July and August 2026 salaries.
In an internal memo dated August 19, 2026, Acting County Secretary and Head of Public Service Elizabeth Adongo attributed the delay to the prolonged completion of the 2026/2027 financial year budget process.
The county said the delay had constrained the full operationalization of its financial and expenditure processes, affecting the settlement of staff salaries.
“The delay has principally arisen from the protracted completion of the FY 2026/2027 Budget process, which has constrained the full operationalization of the County’s financial and expenditure processes,” read part of the memo.
Turkana County employees have also faced delays in receiving their July 2026 salaries, with the county government attributing the delays to slow processing in Nairobi offices.
In a notice issued on August 10, the county informed staff that the payment had been held up by slow processing by the relevant offices in Nairobi.
The county government said it was working to expedite the process and assured employees that their salaries would be released as soon as the necessary procedures were completed.
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Migori and Siaya County
Migori County Government has also announced a delay in the payment of July 2026 salaries, attributing the situation to delays in the approval and uploading of the county budget.
In an internal memo dated August 11, County Secretary and Head of County Public Service Oscar O. Olima informed all county staff that the budget delay had affected the processing and release of funds.
The county government said it had given the matter the highest priority and that efforts were underway to expedite the remaining processes.
According to the notice, salaries would be paid immediately after the county uploaded the budget.
Migori County also issued a notice to employees over delays in the payment of their July 2026 salaries.
In an internal memo dated August 11, County Secretary and Head of County Public Service Oscar O. Olima attributed the delay to the late approval and uploading of the county budget.
The county said the situation had affected the processing and release of funds, adding that efforts were underway to expedite the necessary procedures.
According to the notice, salaries would be paid immediately after the county uploads the budget.
Management apologized for the inconvenience caused by the delay and assured employees that they would be kept informed of further developments.
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Why Salary Delay Is Happening in Counties
The salary delays have been linked to the late clearance of county budgets, which must be approved before counties can fully operationalize their financial systems and access funds for expenditure.
Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o said on August 10 that Turkana was among four counties whose 2026/27 budgets had not been cleared, alongside Nyamira, Isiolo and Tharaka Nithi.
She noted that counties were required to submit their budgets by June 30, but some submitted them after the deadline, with others doing so in August.
Nyakang’o also pointed to gaps in some of the submissions, including missing plans for settling pending bills, the Fiscal Strategy Paper, and evidence of public participation.
The budget clearance delays have therefore affected the release and processing of funds, contributing to the late payment of salaries in affected counties.
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