NAIROBI, Kenya– A government audit into long-standing unpaid bills has recommended Sh229 billion in verified claims ready for settlement, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has revealed.
Speaking during his presentation of the 2025/26 national budget estimates in Parliament, Mbadi noted that the special committee tasked with reviewing historical claims has so far vetted over half of the submitted cases, signaling renewed efforts to restore trust in government payments.
“Since its inauguration, the committee received a total of 65,625 pending bill claims valued at over Sh571.6 billion. The committee has analyzed 57 percent of the bills received, valued at Sh522 billion. Out of these, a total of Sh229 billion have been recommended for settlement,” said Mbadi.
He explained that the pending bills, some of which date back as far as 2005, have long burdened suppliers and strained service delivery.
The verification exercise is intended to clean up the books and lay the groundwork for a more efficient and transparent public finance system.
“The government remains committed to resolving the long-standing issues of pending bills… to strengthen public resource management and restore public confidence in government processes,” Mbadi added.
The committee is expected to conclude its final report by the end of June.
Once submitted, the recommendations will be forwarded to the Cabinet for approval, paving the way for disbursement.
The government’s renewed focus on clearing arrears comes amid mounting pressure from contractors and suppliers who have decried delayed payments that have choked operations and led to job losses.
