The National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has agreed to lift the stoppage of funds to Meru County Government and pay Sh139 million to a French investor, averting potential diplomatic strain.

• The debt, originally amounting to Sh640 million owed by Meru County, had risked damaging bilateral relations with the French government.
• Key players include Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma, and an unnamed French investor.
• The intervention follows an alleged informal declaration by President William Ruto to clear the debt, though official communication was a sticking point for the National Treasury.