Also known as: CoB
Constitutional public finance overseer that monitors government and county spending, reports on budget implementation, and raises concerns about misuse of emergency spending powers.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Controller of Budget
Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Citizen Digital
WATCH LIVE: Senate Committee meets Controller of Budget and Auditor-General on public debt By Citizen Reporter July 28, 2026 12:31 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize
Senate Committee meets Controller of Budget and Auditor-General on public debtCitizen Digital
… Nor is this a problem confined to the national government.For years, reports from the Controller of Budget and the Auditor-General have repeatedly highlighted payroll anomalies within county governments, including payments outside approved payroll systems, irregular recruitment, …
BONYO'S BONE: When wage bill eats wage billCitizen Digital
… PHOTO/FILE Audio By Vocalize By Mwangi Maina The latest report by the Controller of Budget on County Governments Budget Implementation shows the average pay for a Member of the County Assembly (MCA) sitting allowance in the County Assembly of Embu stands at Ksh.134,577. …
MCAs pocket hefty perks in Ksh.1 billion sitting allowance bonanzaThe Standard
… The County Budget Implementation Review Report by the Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o, reveals that counties spent Sh13.17 billion on domestic and foreign travel in the first nine months of the 2025/26 financial year — money that could have equipped hundreds of health fa …
Spending spree: Counties spend Sh13b on travel as major projects stall, bills mountThe Standard
… The County Budget Implementation Review Report by the Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o, reveals that counties spent Sh13.17 billion on domestic and foreign travel in the first nine months of the 2025/26 financial year — money that could have equipped hundreds of health fa …
Spending spree: Counties splash billions on travel, allowances and international meetingsThe Standard
… ys Wanga, account for the development funds and the status of the projects. “Failure by the County Executive to respond by publishing and making public the reports on these matters within seven days, we shall petition the Senate, EACC, Auditor General and the Controller of Budget …
MCAs want Governor Wanga to account for Sh1b ward projectsThe Standard
… The National Assembly committee on Finance and Planning has recommended that any withdrawals from the Fund should require approval from the Controller of Budget (COB) and Parliament to ensure proper oversight of government spending. …
Parliament seeks bigger say in control of Kenya's Sovereign Wealth FundCitizen Digital
… He further noted that the court dismissed applications filed by the former Auditor General, former Controller of Budget, the current Auditor General and the current Controller of Budget seeking to be excluded from the proceedings. …
Kenya's public debt case set for full hearing after Court rejects Attorney General petitionThe Standard
… According to Wanjigi, the change weakened oversight mechanisms involving Parliament, the Controller of Budget (COB) and the Auditor-General. …
How Kenya lost billions: Wanjigi links debt crisis to 2014 law changeThe Standard
… Further, the judge barred the Controller of Budget (CoB) and all mandated public servants from approving any funding for the acquisition of external legal service. …
Double blow as case on lawyers-government legal service engagement is delayedAn opinion piece argues that the Church should require transparent, countable accounting for public resources and government claims, emphasizing that verifiable numbers—not adjectives or testimony—are essential to integrity and that Kenya's Constitution mandates public accountability as a duty.
19 October 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that the Church should require transparent, countable accounting for public resources and government claims, emphasizing that verifiable numbers—not adjectives or testimony—are essential to integrity and that Kenya's Constitution mandates public accountability as a duty.
19 October 2026 · The Standard →
The Controller of Budget says an integrated financial system (IFMIS) that started in July will automate statutory deductions and salary payments across counties. Counties currently owe staff Sh100.44 billion in unpaid statutory deductions and salary claims, some dating back over 10 years.
13 October 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that calls for President Ruto to leave office should extend to legislators and governors who have failed to perform and contributed to national decay through misuse of funds and corruption. The author contends that voters should judge Ruto's full scorecard in 2027 and hold all underperforming leaders accountable, citing examples of MPs, Woman Reps, and senators who misuse public resources.
5 October 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's 47 county governments spent about Sh2.2 billion on foreign travel during the 2025/26 financial year, according to Controller of Budget figures, with delegations attending training, conferences, benchmarking visits and other programmes while Kenyans face shortages of medicines, stalled projects, poor roads and unreliable water supplies.
3 October 2026 · The Standard →
State institutions including the Attorney-General's office have opposed the County Oversight and Accountability Bill, arguing it violates the Constitution by attempting to convert collective Senate oversight powers into individual Senator authority. The bill, sponsored by Narok Senator Ledama Olekina and passed by the Senate in July, seeks to enhance county financial accountability and transparency, but the Council of Governors contends the matter is already covered by existing constitutional and statutory frameworks.
30 September 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's 47 counties were allocated Sh405.1 billion as equitable share for 2025/26, with an additional Sh69.8 billion in conditional and unconditional allocations, bringing projected total county revenue to about Sh543.86 billion from equitable share, own-source revenue and conditional grants. The article examines whether these resources translate into functioning health facilities, clean water, roads and other services for citizens.
29 September 2026 · Capital News →
Counties received Sh415 billion as equitable share of nationally raised revenue for 2025/26, with combined approved budgets reaching Sh603.72 billion including conditional allocations and local revenue. Of this, 36 per cent was budgeted for development and 64 per cent for recurrent expenditure.
28 September 2026 · Capital News →
The Controller of Budget reports that county governments absorbed only Shs.126.69 billion (25.51 per cent of total expenditure) in development spending during Financial year 2025/26, with just four counties exceeding 75 per cent absorption: Meru (79.04%), Mandera (80%), Wajir (83.03%), and Kilifi (84.52%).
28 September 2026 · The Standard →
The Controller of Budget reports that Kenya's 47 counties spent over Ksh.17 billion on foreign and local travel in the financial year ended June 2026, with Nairobi County leading at Ksh.850 million. The report also flags pending bills hitting Ksh.172 billion across devolved units.
25 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Dr. Margaret Nyakang'o, the Controller of Budget, has raised concerns that various government special funds—including the National Infrastructure Fund, Sovereign Wealth Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund, Primary Healthcare Fund, and Affordable Housing Levy Fund—are operating outside the regular constitutional framework of checks and balances for public finance oversight.
25 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Senate has directed the Controller of Budget to halt the approval of funds to Kilifi County Government for pending bills worth Sh11.9 billion after the County Finance Officer gave conflicting figures that varied from the Auditor General's report and the county's own verification committee findings.
24 September 2026 · The Standard →
The High Court has certified as urgent an application by the Controller of Budget seeking clarification on whether conservatory orders from June 2025 restricting bursary processing extend to county requisitions for the 2026/2027 financial year, though the court declined to grant immediate relief.
22 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Fifteen years after Kenya's 2010 Constitution, devolution has shifted service delivery—healthcare, roads, water, and education—from Nairobi to counties, though results are mixed. Counties have made measurable gains in health infrastructure and early childhood education, but remain heavily dependent on national transfers, struggle with revenue, pending bills, corruption, and public participation challenges.
22 September 2026 · Capital News →
An opinion piece argues that the National Treasury has converted Article 223 of the Constitution—originally intended as a narrow escape valve for urgent crises—into a regular off-budget financing pipeline for highly predictable spending, which Parliament then regularises retroactively after commitments are complete.
22 September 2026 · The Standard →
The Controller of Budget's report on the 2025/2026 financial year reveals that while ordinary Kenyans face cost-of-living pressures, parts of government continued high spending on travel, hospitality, and emergency expenditures that bypass usual checks. The national government spent Ksh.30.6B on travel and Ksh.74.5B in non-remitted deductions during the period.
16 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakango has raised concerns that the National Treasury is misusing Article 223 of the Constitution to authorise expenditure from the Consolidated Fund for routine, day-to-day office operations contrary to law, according to her National Government Budget Implementation Review Report for the 2025/26 financial year.
14 September 2026 · The Standard →
Sh27.5 million allocated for Persons with Disabilities in Nakuru County's 2025/2026 budget was not disbursed, and PWDs have not been included in the 2026/2027 budget. The Department of Sports, Gender, and Inclusivity blames the finance department for the non-disbursement, while PWDs have issued a demonstration notice and petitioned the County Assembly.
10 September 2026 · The Standard →
The Government spent Sh30.69 billion on travel expenses in Financial Year 2025/26, up from Sh25.45 billion the previous year — an increase of Sh5.2 billion, according to a Controller of Budget report.
9 September 2026 · The Standard →
Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o has cited weak reporting mechanisms for development partner-funded projects under loan Appropriations-in-Aid (AIA) arrangements.
9 September 2026 · The Standard →
President William Ruto assented to four Bills including the Public Finance Management Amendment Bill, the Air Passenger Service Charge Amendment Bill, the Kenya National Council for Population and Development Bill, and the Trust Administration Bill. The Public Finance Management Amendment Bill is intended to strengthen accountability and oversight of government funds, create a standardized mechanism for grants to county governments, and introduce penalties for accounting officers who fail to implement assembly committee resolutions.
8 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President William Ruto has signed the Public Finance Management Amendment Bill 2025, which introduces penalties for public entities that fail to implement recommendations from the Auditor-General and Controller of Budget, and shortens the period for submitting financial statements.
8 September 2026 · The Standard →
State House spending reached Ksh.18.55 billion in the 2025/2026 financial year, more than double its original allocation of Ksh.8.5 billion, with Ksh.6.73 billion classified as "other expenses" that could not be classified under ordinary votes, raising questions about public fund use.
5 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya's healthcare system faces a crisis as approximately 65 to 71 per cent of the budget goes toward servicing the Sh13 trillion public debt, leaving insufficient funds for essential services, experts warn during a sector forum in Nairobi.
2 September 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece contends that while President William Ruto's Katiba Day speech defended constitutionalism and called for an audit of the 2010 Constitution's implementation, the document's promise of transforming governance and safeguarding citizens' rights remains an unfinished national project sixteen years after adoption.
30 August 2026 · The Standard →
Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has warned against the National Treasury's Treasury Single Account (TSA) proposal, arguing that consolidating all public funds into a single centralised system would undermine devolution and reverse gains made under the 2010 Constitution. The Cabinet approved the TSA in 2024.
27 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An opinion piece argues that despite billions of shillings channeled to county governments since devolution began in 2013, counties have struggled to deliver in key service areas like healthcare, agriculture, water, and market spaces.
8 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An opinion piece argues that while legally permissible, President William Ruto's practice of dispensing public resources to target groups through State House events has become suspect, particularly given the nation's economic challenges and the transformation of a public facility into what the author characterizes as a campaign tool funded by taxpayers.
7 August 2026 · The Standard →
The Senate's inaugural County Fiscal Performance Measurement Index ranked Embu as Kenya's best-performing county in the 2024/25 financial year with a score of 0.689, while Kisumu ranked last. The index, which measures counties across seven indicators including development expenditure and audit opinions, found that 35 counties attained a "C" grade, reflecting gradual progress in budget execution despite persistent fiscal management challenges in several counties.
6 August 2026 · Capital News →
An opinion piece argues that as Kenya approaches the 2027 General Election, the country must focus on restoring public confidence in government through stronger institutions, fiscal transparency, and ethical leadership, rather than electoral calculations. The Controller of Budget report shows Kenya's public debt has reached approximately KSh 12.8 trillion, highlighting fiscal constraints on policymakers.
30 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Auditor General and Controller of Budget have raised concerns over escalating debt burden as the Government increasingly relies on borrowing to finance its budget. The Auditor General has flagged emerging and hidden types of debt such as securitisation of revenues, contingent and pension liabilities not ordinarily included in public debt discussions.
30 July 2026 · The Standard →