Controller of Budget Reveals Best-Performing Counties in Spending, Here is the List

Kilifi County spent the most money on development in the 2024/25 financial year, according to a new report by the Controller of Budget (CoB).

The county used Ksh6.71 billion to fund projects that focus on infrastructure and service delivery.

Other top spenders included Turkana (Ksh4.29 billion), Nairobi (Ksh4.09 billion), Mandera (Ksh4.07 billion), Narok (Ksh3.96 billion), Nakuru (Ksh3.94 billion), and Kitui (Ksh3.28 billion).

These counties contributed a large portion of the total Ksh123.7 billion spent on development across the country.

In Nairobi, Governor Johnson Sakaja led a sharp increase in development funding.

The county spent Ksh4.09 billion this year, up from Ksh2.72 billion last year.

This is a 50.6% increase, making it the third-highest in actual development spending nationwide.

Much of Nairobi’s money went to Ward Development Programmes, with all 85 wards receiving a total of Ksh1.95 billion.

By the end of June 2025, Ksh834 million had already been used on roads, water access, and other local projects.

The county also invested Ksh366 million in the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP II) to upgrade roads, drainage, and land ownership in informal areas.

City Hall spent Ksh263 million on trucks and equipment, over Ksh500 million on road repairs and street lighting, and Ksh118 million to digitise services at the County Assembly.

In Dagoretti South, the Mutuini Market received Ksh111 million to complete construction.

Governor Sakaja said that although Nairobi spends a lot on services like education, waste management, and bursaries, development projects are still a priority.

“Remember, we are a service-driven county. The entire portion of the equitable share is channelled to personnel, recurrent operations, and essential services such as the school feeding programme, public lighting, solid waste management, personnel-related insurance costs, bursaries, and scholarships,” Sakaja said.

He added that the county depends heavily on its own revenue to fund development and daily services.

Even though development took up just 12% of Nairobi’s total budget, it still added up to over Ksh4 billion — a strong showing nationally.

Across Kenya, counties also improved their own revenue collection.

They raised Ksh67.30 billion, about 77% of the national target.

This was a big jump from Ksh41.40 billion collected the previous year.Click here.