Why Senate Wants Natembeya be Barred From Accessing County Funds

Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya appearing before the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds Sub-Committee at Bunge Tower on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Trans Nzoia County risks being barred from accessing its funds after senators moved to halt further withdrawals until Governor George Natembeya settles unpaid gratuity owed to former county staff.

The warning was issued on Thursday as the Senate County Public Accounts Committee questioned Natembeya while reviewing the 2024/25 audit by the Office of the Auditor-General, which flagged unpaid terminal benefits running into millions.

According to the audit report, the county owes Ksh52 million in gratuity, with Ksh26 million due to staff who served in the Office of the Governor under former Governor Patrick Khaemba.

Another Ksh26 million is owed to former employees drawn from various county departments, with some officers having waited more than four years to receive their dues.

CPAC chairperson Moses Kajwang said the Controller of Budget should not approve further withdrawals from the County Revenue Fund until a clear gratuity payment plan is submitted and approved.

“Officers who have already exited public service are fully entitled to these payments. You must prioritise this debt,” Kajwang said, rejecting explanations linking the delay to financial constraints.

Governor Natembeya admitted the gratuity had not been paid, attributing the delay to financial pressure caused by outstanding statutory deductions from previous administrations that attracted penalties and taxes.

“It is an unfortunate situation. I am alive to the fact that we are not paying the money. There is no malice. It is just circumstances,” Natembeya told the committee.

Senator Samson Cherarkey said gratuity payments are not a privilege but a contractual obligation, urging the governor to present a concrete and time-bound plan to clear the arrears.

The committee criticised the county for unjustifiably withholding terminal benefits for years, arguing that internal inefficiencies, rather than external factors, were responsible for the prolonged delays.

Lawmakers warned that if the Controller of Budget enforces the committee’s position, Trans Nzoia’s access to county funds would be effectively frozen until compliance is achieved.

They further cautioned that failure to implement the required measures could attract additional sanctions, stressing that access to public funds must be tied to responsible governance and staff welfare.

Natembeya assured the committee that a supplementary budget would be used to clear the gratuity arrears, although CPAC said it would closely monitor the county to ensure full compliance.