Kenya's cash crunch delays salaries

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – Kenya's government has acknowledged it is grappling with a severe cash crunch that has resulted in delayed payment of salaries to workers.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said the government had been chocked by unpaid loans that have since matured.

“It is true we are having challenges when it comes to paying salaries, we are having challenges in giving money to governors,” Gachagua said, noting that this was due to the previous government's borrowing of money.

"We inherited a dilapidated economy, with empty coffers," Gachagua added.

The affected workers in the thousands have threatened to strike if they are not paid.

According to economic experts, the president's administration is struggling to keep essential programs afloat amid allegations of wasteful and extravagant expenditure.

Kenya's Presidential Economic Adviser David Ndii, in a television interview, also admitted that Kenya is facing an acute cash crunch affecting salary payments at both the national and county level.

Despite the salary delays caused by debt repayment, he affirmed that the Kenyan government will fulfill its debt repayment obligations and avoid default.

"The government is extremely wasteful, there is not a single day that I am not exasperated by not just how wasteful it is but by how deliberate it is and how unbothered people are by it," Ndii told Citizen Television late Monday.

The situation has left many public workers without pay, causing further strain on an already vulnerable population that is struggling with a high cost of living.

As a result of the cash crunch, some essential government services have been put on hold, sparking widespread public outrage with citizens calling for urgent action to address the situation.

While the Kenyan government has taken steps to address the financial crisis, many Kenyans remain skeptical of the government's ability to effectively manage the situation.

As the crisis continues to unfold, the pressure on President William Ruto and his administration to find a lasting solution is mounting.