Turkana County has been ranked 16th nationally and emerged among Kenya’s top 20 most improved counties in the latest Fiscal Performance Index, earning a score of 0.509 (Grade C) in an assessment of public financial management across all 47 counties.
The index, which evaluated counties using seven key public finance indicators, found that no county attained the highest Grade A. Only Embu, Narok and Wajir achieved Grade B, underscoring the financial management challenges that continue to face county governments more than a decade after the introduction of devolution.
While Turkana’s ranking reflects progress in overall fiscal performance, the report raised concerns over the county’s budget implementation. Despite operating an approved budget of approximately KSh16.8 billion, Turkana was cited among counties where the size of the budget did not translate into effective budget execution.
The report grouped Turkana with counties such as Nakuru and Kisumu, noting that stronger financial performance depends less on the amount of money allocated and more on sound planning, timely implementation of projects and prudent management of public resources.
The findings come as Turkana implements its 2026 County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP), which projects revenues of KSh16.5 billion against a financing requirement of KSh30.4 billion for the 2026/27 financial year, leaving a funding gap of KSh13.8 billion.
The county has identified food security, healthcare and education as its key development priorities. With available resources falling significantly below expenditure needs, the report’s findings place renewed focus on the importance of improving budget absorption and ensuring public funds are translated into tangible services and development projects.
The latest ranking presents a mixed picture for Turkana. On one hand, the county has improved its standing nationally and joined the country’s better-performing counties in fiscal management. On the other, the assessment signals that strengthening budget execution and project implementation will be critical if the county is to maximize the impact of its limited resources and meet the growing demand for essential public services.
