By Anchor Writer

Machakos County Government  began paying November salaries on 16 December, a day after The Anchor published a report on the arrears owed to County staff.

The payments followed a directive by Governor Wavinya Ndeti, issued during the signing of performance contracts for senior officers at the White House, in which she instructed Chief Officer Julius Kasanga to release the salaries. Staff banking with KCB say they were the first to receive payment notifications, though many workers remain uncertain about when all arrears will be settled.

Sources familiar with the payroll process say the delay stemmed from the county’s reliance on short-term borrowing from a local bank to fund salaries, with the loan typically cleared once the Controller of Budget releases funds. This month, however, the Controller is said to have released net salaries only, reportedly to address persistent failures by the county to remit statutory deductions such as PAYE, NSSF, SHA and loan repayments to banks and saccos. The bank allegedly retained the funds to offset an overdrawn balance, prolonging the crisis.

The late payment comes amid growing unease over the county’s financial management and sits awkwardly alongside Governor Wavinya’s recent ranking as the second best performing governor nationally on human resource management.

She dedicated the award to county staff, even as many endured weeks without pay and face the prospect of a strained festive season.

Questions abound about the credibility of the governance awards and the widening gap between official accolades and the lived reality of govenment actions on the ground.

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