Trans Nzoia County Governor His Excellency George Natembeya has come out to explain why his administration recorded zero expenditure on development projects during the first quarter of the current financial year, according to a recent auditor’s report.
The report listed Trans Nzoia among twenty counties that did not spend any funds on development, a revelation that triggered public debate and sharp political criticism from some of the governor’s opponents.
Speaking in a video statement that has since circulated widely on social media, Governor Natembeya dismissed claims of poor leadership or lack of commitment to development.
He said the low absorption of development funds was not deliberate but was caused by systemic challenges beyond the county’s control.
“We have recorded low absorption of development funds, not due to a lack of planning or commitment, but largely as a result of the push and pull over the use of the e-Procurement (EPG) system, coupled with procurement bottlenecks and delayed releases from the National Treasury,” Natembeya explained.
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He added that these challenges significantly slowed down the rollout of development projects during the period under review.
The governor noted that his administration had already identified priority projects and completed the necessary planning stages, but delays in approvals and the release of funds made it impossible to execute them within the first quarter.
He insisted that once the bottlenecks are resolved, the county will accelerate development spending to ensure residents benefit from key projects.
Natembeya, who is also the leader of the TAWE movement, accused his political rivals of weaponizing the auditor’s report to score cheap political points. He urged residents of Trans Nzoia to remain patient, assuring them that development remains a top priority for his government.
The explanation has drawn mixed reactions, with some residents accepting the challenges cited, while others argue that county governments should find ways to overcome bureaucratic hurdles to avoid stalling development.
As scrutiny on county spending intensifies, all eyes will be on whether Trans Nzoia’s development projects pick up pace in the coming quarters.
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