Public universities face Sh100 billion debt crisis amid low budget absorption - March 2026

Public universities in Kenya are facing an immense financial crisis, burdened by debts exceeding Sh100 billion, severely hampering their operations. The Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang'o, has issued a stern warning regarding the alarmingly low absorption rate of development funds by several counties, with some counties using under 3% of budgets. This underutilization is hindering crucial development projects across the country.