MPs Sound Alarm Over Sh2.2 Billion Pending Bills in State Departments
Parliamentary committee flags Sh2.2 billion in unpaid bills across Sports, Culture, and Youth departments, warning of project delays and legal risks.
By John Mtongoi Newsroom
August 22, 2026
2 min read
The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Sports and Culture has raised serious concerns over more than Sh2.2 billion in outstanding payments by three State Departments, cautioning that poor financial planning threatens key government projects.
During a recent review of the 2025/26 budget implementation, chaired by Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama, the committee highlighted that the State Department for Sports accounts for the bulk of these pending bills, amounting to Sh2.1768 billion. The State Department for Culture, Arts and Heritage has Sh42.54 million in unpaid bills, while the State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy owes Sh20 million.
Causes and Risks
The Sports Department attributed most of its liabilities to contractual obligations related to ongoing projects such as the Kipchoge Keino Stadium, Kenya Academy of Sports Phase 18, and various constituency sports academies. Officials warned that failure to clear these debts could delay project completion and spark costly legal disputes, undermining contractor confidence.
MP Wanyama questioned the rationale behind initiating projects without secured funding, stating, "At what point do you go overboard and have projects that you can't pay? Maybe you are chewing more than you can swallow." He urged departments to improve budgeting and planning to halt the accumulation of pending bills.
Commitments and Next Steps
Principal Secretary Ummi Mohammed Bashir of the Culture, Arts and Heritage Department pledged to prioritise settling outstanding bills, committing to treat them as a first charge in the current financial year.
Sports officials indicated plans to verify all pending bills and engage the National Treasury for adequate funding to enable progressive payments.
MP Wanyama emphasized the need for thorough verification and resolution of these debts, stating, "We cannot continue verifying forward bills every financial year while projects remain incomplete."
The committee has directed the three departments and their agencies to submit detailed reports on pending bills, stalled projects, funding gaps, and proposed solutions.
